I Love College
by ellamariexx
Summary: A look into the dramatic, wild and often crazy lives of the FMA group at Central University. AU: EdxWin
1. Bottoms Up

**Chapter 1: Bottoms Up**

**(Winry)**

The sound of the stairwell door slamming once, twice and a third time had her wriggling farther under her covers. She was restless with the irritating polar opposite of being completely exhausted. A minute passed, maybe more, before she sat up in a flurry of motion with her heart racing. Shit. Winry stared helplessly at her alarm clock sitting uselessly on the floor, its plug a good foot from an outlet. With a knowing pang she looked up at the foot still housed in a red stiletto, its owner passed out in the clothes from the night before. She remembered pulling her pillow over her head the night before to avoid her drunken roommate Rose returning from what was probably a frat party. As far as roommates go she knew she could have gotten worse, but she was tired of trying to feign civility. Rose had managed to find an excuse to go out and party almost every single night of the week despite the clear age restriction and lack of attention to her grades. Then again if she had a mom and dad footing the bill for school maybe she would be a little looser in the way she spent her time.

It had been quite a leap of faith for her to commit to an 8am lecture, but she needed the class and the other times had been full. The hierarchy of students meant that poor little freshmen like herself were resigned to picking from the leftovers. Managing to pull something on, she grabbed her bag and bolted out of the dorm room. The weather was a somber gray, sheets of rain pouring down from the sky and flooding the streets. Rounding the corner of a building she briefly excused herself as her body collided with an unsuspecting passerby. In her rush to make it to class she hadn't even bothered to grab an umbrella, the idea a lost cause to her now.

It wasn't exactly 8am, but she was well aware that it was crucial to arrive early in order to claim a reasonable seat in the large lecture hall. As she finally managed to push through the doors to the auditorium she tried, without success, to keep her now two minute tardiness a secret as she scanned the room for vacant seats.

The idea of a lecture hall being full at 8am was ludacris but this was an honors class and the professor was very anal about attendance. That and lab material that was associated with this particular section was only given out during class time. Trying not to let her rough start of a morning tamper her spirits she begrudgingly turned her sights on the back of the room. She shivered as her wet clothes clung to her slim frame. Perhaps she should have forgone the fashion atrocity and worn that hideous red rain coat. Maneuvering quickly before she could become an object of the audience's restless attention she spotted a seat in the corner of the back row. Dodging legs and slipping past backpacks and purses she finally reached the back corner. Her frustrations surfaced again as she was halted by one last student. The boy was slouched down in his seat, his feet obstructing her way to the seat next to him. It was one thing after another and her patience was closing in on zero.

"Excuse me." She spoke in a loud and embittered voice.

When his eyes didn't even flicker open she tried once again, this time with a little more force. "_Excuse me_."

Her temper snapped as the boy remained motionless to her request. There was a sincere lack of chivalry in this world and it irritated her to no end. She forcibly pushed his legs out of her way and proceeded past him to the empty seat. Still reeling with contempt she forced herself to ignore him and try to make some sense out the words on the chalkboard. It was a miracle that anyone could manage to take good notes from so far back. Her attention was slowly claimed by the obnoxious habits of those surrounding her. The students in the back were all sleeping, texting or just staring off into space. She pondered who they could possibly be texting at eight in the morning and after a few glances around she concluded they must be texting each other. Sighing, she sank back into her seat and tried to concentrate on the chemistry lecture.

She shivered again as the cold began to sink in. Her clothes were still wet and the large auditorium was ill heated and cold enough to mistake the season for winter. Trying to ignore the cold and focus on the lecture she grew irritated at the guy next to her. His repeated attempts to catch her attention were growing tiresome, why couldn't he have just fallen back asleep like she'd found him?

Unable to pretend indifference for any longer she turned her fiery stare in his direction. "What?" she whispered menacingly.

The guy frowned in response, "Take it."

It was then that she noticed the sweatshirt he had offered in his hand.

"No…thank you." she added the ending after hearing her own rude response. All she wanted was to get the class over with and her reserves were on empty. Turning her attention back to the endless ramblings of her professors she was struck once again by his persistence. His hand tapped at her shoulder a few more times before she acknowledged him. Turning back to face him she was about to retaliate when he threw the sweatshirt at her.

"Take it." He announced irritably. "I can't concentrate with you shivering so badly."

Winry's mouth fell open as she stared at the stranger next to her. Scowling she pulled the sweatshirt over her head, though she wasn't entirely sure why she did. While she planned on shivering just to piss him off she found instantly felt warm, the heat still trapped in it from his body. It hadn't dawned on her until then that he was sitting in a short sleeve shirt; he had given her the sweatshirt right off his back. She didn't expect that kind of chivalry, especially from him. Despite her earlier aggression she was suddenly curious about this man; she was no stranger to the metal arm that sweatshirt had been hiding.

For the rest of the class time she found herself thinking of ways to thank him. A simple verbal proclamation might have done the trick, but she wanted something more than a quick exchange. It was easy to see that his automail was top of the line, but maybe she could give him one of the pieces she had worked on with her grandma. Her grandmother's customers swore that it was the best automail they had ever received. She snuck a glance out of the corner of her eye. In her rush and irritation she had failed to notice how attractive he was. His long hair, which had originally marked him as a slacker was something else entirely. After careful observation she noticed it's composition of long, silky, golden threads. Though, as an afterthought, she wished they had not covered his remarkably unique eye color. She quickly averted her gaze and tried to get back to the boring tedium of the discussion. What had gotten into her today?

Concentrating hard on trying to piece together the impossibly small print on the board and the bland tone of the Professor's voice she never saw the guy next to her get up and move. When the lecture was completed she found his feet halfway out the door by the time she had gathered her notes together. Throwing her messenger bag over her shoulder she looked down at the sweatshirt she was still wearing. Groaning she pushed her way through the exiting crowd, she didn't even know his name.

Scanning the sea of students she finally caught sight of her target. Racing forward she shouted out to him, "Hey!"

Part of her wanted to laugh as several heads turned toward her, his not being one of them. Now she really wished she had been polite enough to ask his name. With one last spurt of energy she practically tackled him.

Halted by her hands on his arm he peeked at her over his shoulder. Winry felt her uneven breathing hitch as she stared into his eyes. Yet the beauty of the moment was altered as soon as he opened his mouth.

"What do you want?" He asked in agitation, the rain still coming down all around them.

Flustered she pushed the wet hair out of her face and just stared. What had possessed her to stop him? Oh right, the sweatshirt. Throwing her bag at him to free her hands, she proceeded to lift the sweatshirt off.

Perfect, just perfect.

Her face flushed as her wet shirt clung to the outer garment, exposing her bare stomach and bra. Trying to act nonchalant about the whole ordeal she quickly pulled her shirt back down and finished removing the now troublesome piece of clothing. She was about to take the cowards way out and make a run for it when he switched roles and grabbed her arm.

"Your bag?" He asked, holding out the black shoulder bag towards her.

She was sure if embarrassment could kill she would have died in those few seconds. Sighing she reached out and grabbed it from his grasp. Before she turned to walk away she swallowed her pride and offered him a weak smile. "Thank you."

**(Edward)**

Every day the same monotonous schedule, wake up, go to class, go to sleep. Somewhere in between he usually ate and hit the gym but other than that it was pretty dull. Most would count him among the lucky few but he had a hard time stomaching that. Having a rich father made college a walk in the park, almost. There was no need for him to worry about tuition when the new wing of the library was named after his father. Out of spite he had never stepped foot in that particular part of the building.

With the rain irritating his automail he had been in a foul mood, but as he walked back to his dorm room he couldn't help but chuckle. As annoying as it was, he had to admit the girl made him laugh. The way her pretty features blushed had been very attractive. Once he was back in the small cubicle of a room, he laid on his bed deciding to skip his next lecture. The professor was a quack; he did better on exams when he didn't listen to the man's cock and bull theories.

All thoughts of sleeping went out the window as he caught a whiff of the most alluring scent. Opening his eyes he searched the room for the source but after smelling around he came up with nothing. Finally he grabbed his sweatshirt. How had he failed to notice how good she smelled? Feeling vaguely creepy he sniffed at the sleeve and laughed, he should have at least asked for her name.

Looking around his room most would say he was well off. That he should be grateful that his father's overhead had secured him a room to himself as well as a parking pass. But despite all his father had done for him monetarily the man hadn't ever really been a father. Business trips had taken him as far away from his family as possible and Ed knew better; he knew his bastard of a dad had been all too happy to go.

Whatever, he planned on reaping the benefits before his dad realized he wasn't about to follow in his footsteps. If not for his younger brother he would have flown the coup a long time ago.

The room to his door opened, the need for knocking not a custom to the people living down the hall from him. Annoyed at the unannounced intrusion Ed sat up and glared at the guy.

"Elric, you sleeping the day away?"

"I'm surprised you're not Havoc, especially after I heard you roll in around 4am." He raised his eyebrows at the notorious playboy.

A grin stretched across his face. "Well freshman, you will learn that from sophomore status on these freshmen girls just keep getting better and better."

Despite his clear anti-social demeanor everyone seemed to think he was a hidden playboy himself. He rolled his eyes. "I'm sure having them stalk you afterwards is just as fun."

The blond laughed, looking sheepish. "Yeah well I make it a rule to not meet the same girl twice…if I can help it."

He thought of the blue eyed girl from the morning, he wouldn't mind running into her again. "You don't feel any kind of remorse?"

"Yes." He admitted wistfully, "I do regret not figuring out how great college was until now."

"I don't know why we're friends." He responded sarcastically.

Havoc frowned, "You need to get out more."

"Yeah and you need to study, but we both know that won't happen either."

Folding his arms across his chest he sighed. "You're hopeless but don't worry I'm not going to give up. The brothers of Beta Tau Alpha are holding their annual fall rush night and that's a guarantee for two things. Free kegs and girls." He added proudly. "Besides, as membership chair for BTA, it is my duty to bring in new guys."

"You just want me to join so your membership GPA will go up." Ed smirked.

To this Havoc was silent for a few seconds before he nodded, "Well I guess that could be a reason but we would need a hell of a lot more like you before we budged our GPA."

Ed had to admit, the fraternity life didn't exactly match up to his personality but he hadn't been out for quite a while. "I guess I'll go."

Havoc's mouth dropped open in surprise, "You're really going to show up?"

"Yeah." Ed voiced. "My dad was a Delta Tau."

Havoc groaned audibly, "Your dad was a DT? You do realize they are our number one rival here right?"

Ed nodded, "Yeah, nothing would piss him off more. So what time is this thing?"

**(Winry)**

"Come on Win, you have to come out! I just know you'll have fun!" Rose gushed as she sat in front of the mirror in their room.

Winry brushed her long blond hair, her bed looking much more appealing than a night babysitting her roommate's drunken escapades. Rose was one of those girls who had been sheltered all her life, all girls boarding school and what not. Now Winry was sure she was trying to cram 18 years' worth of misbehaving into the past three weeks since they had started at Central State University.

In an attempt to escape the pleading looks of her roommate she shrugged her shoulders. "I have nothing to wear."

Rose rolled her eyes, "Worst excuse in the book. You're practically the same size as I am; go look through my closet."

When Winry made no move towards the closet Rose theatrically stormed across the room and threw open the closet. She was quite the drama queen when she wanted to be. As she skimmed through her clothes Winry found her eyes widening in horror, how could any of those small garments be considered clothes?

When Rose turned back around with a short black skirt and white v-neck shirt Winry breathed again. It was a little revealing, but not flashy or ostentatious as the other pieces were. Trying it on she looked skeptically at herself in the mirror.

"I don't know, maybe I should stay in tonight…"she mused softly.

"Really? Winry you never go out and this is a Friday, do you plan on ever having a social life? Besides are you even looking at yourself in that mirror? By the end of tonight you are going to have all the boys wrapped around your finger." She squealed excitedly.

It was hard to object, they really didn't do much together so maybe she should put in more effort to get to know her roommate. If going out for one night would keep her from nagging it also seemed like a good idea. Scratch that, going out and drinking with Rose should never be put in the same sentence as good idea.

After letting Rose use her as a canvas for her artful makeup and hair touches Winry found herself wide eyed at the girl in the mirror. Was that really her? It wasn't like she never put on makeup or did her hair before, but nothing like this.

"Thank me later." Rose smirked as she made her way over to their mini fridge. Pulling out a jug of orange juice she moved to her dresser draw. "You owe me; you wouldn't believe how long it took me to seduce the guy in the liquor store into letting me buy this." She yanked out a fifth of vodka, her eyes sparkling dangerously. "Bottoms up."

Swallowing nervously she fidgeted with a piece of her hair. "I don't know Rose; I haven't really drank before." Ok so she had never had a drink in her entire life, but she wasn't particularly fond of what was happening to her grandma. The older woman after all her younger years of drinking and smoking was not in the best physical shape anymore. It worried her that she too might fall into such a habit.

"Come on; just have a few shots with me. It'll loosen you up for the night, honestly it'll help."

How in the world did this girl come from a catholic boarding school was beyond her. But as she felt the shortness of her skirt, she wondered if a few drinks might be the ticket to getting rid of her nerves about the whole thing. Trying not to think about all the reasons this was a bad idea she took a few gulps of the bottle like she would water from a glass. It didn't hit her until the liquid began to burn that this wasn't the sort of thing one could just continue to drink to quench their thirst. Her hands trembled as reached frantically for the orange juice. Cringing, she gulped down the chaser. Her eyes watered as she tried to keep from yakking it back up, it was the single worst thing she had ever tasted in her life.

Rose rubbed her back comfortingly. "Wow champ, way to gulp that down." She laughed, "It's easier if you just take a quick swig, you don't have to chug it. Here…"

She grabbed the bottle took a quick swig and then chased it down with the glass of orange juice. "See." Her lips curled up into a smile, "Not that bad." she extended the bottle towards her, "Try again."

Making a face she took a deep breath as he roommate motioned her on with her hands. "Bottoms up."

**(Ed)**

Ed threw back the last of his beer, his thoughts jumbled. It was definitely an experience, after the third can he felt himself loosening up. He grinned as he thought about how pissed his dad would be if he knew he was drinking. The hypocrite had no room to talk; the man was definitely an alcoholic. A small part of him wondered if he was drinking to drown out his family problems.

"Ladies, ladies, ladies!"

Looking over his shoulder he spotted Havoc welcoming a group of girls into the frat house. The place was already beginning to fill and it was only 11. He was content to just sit back in the living room, he really wasn't much of a socialite. Though he had to admit, as the night wore on he was beginning to forget why he didn't come to these things in the first place.

Crunching an empty can in his hand he wondered what number it had been. He had stopped counting after six and from the way the room swayed he was sure he was long past seven. As he sat watching girls in short skirts sway to the booming music, he rubbed his temples. Even in a room full of people, he felt alone. It was then that a girl fell into his lap, her brown hair streaked with pink. He stiffened as she put her hand on his groin.

"Opps!" she giggled, her hand slowly retracting. As if she had just seen him for the first time she wrapped her arms around his neck. "How come I've never seen you here before?" Her eyes lit up as she drunkenly played with his hair.

He was a guy, of course it felt good. But the girl was obviously wasted and he wasn't sure he trusted himself to make good decisions at the moment. He pushed away her hands, attempting to help her stand. "I don't go out to parties."

The girl laughed as if that were the funniest thing she had ever heard. "But why?"

Shrugging his shoulders he tried once again to help her up. She was pretty cute, but her voice was like nails on a chalkboard at the moment. Especially the whinny and needy way that she clung to him; he didn't particularly like girls like her.

She swatted away his hands, taking his beer from the table next to him and chugging it down. Grinning she threw the empty can over her shoulder before leaning in towards him. "Looks like you're all out." She pouted sarcastically, "Guess we'll have to grab some more." The girl brushed her lips against his before settling by his ear. "We should check upstairs for some more."

He knew exactly where this was headed but for some reason he followed her. Maybe it was the alcohol or maybe he wasn't in the mood to object such an easy offer. He felt a few pats on the back as he stumbled after the brunette, even some words of encouragement, none of which really mattered.

It took several tries before they managed to find an unlocked room. Havoc had told him that girls like this existed, but he was having a hard time remembering why the idea hadn't sounded good at the time. She stumbled right along with him, and though his body was telling him one thing he was beginning to think that maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

For as tiny as she was, he was surprised at the sheer force of her. Pushing him off balance she tackled him to the unmade bed. He wondered briefly whose room they had just invaded. As the room swayed back and forth in an unnatural and confusing way he tried to stop things from going further. But the damn girl was making things much harder than he would have thought. She had already discarded her form fitting dress and was proceeding to straddle his hips, a drunken but coy smile on her lips.

When she finally realized he wasn't responding to her actions she tried to pull his shirt off...that was until she saw the metal glint in the light. Backing away as if she had touched a hot stove she stared at him in disgust. "Are you some kind of freak? What's wrong with you?"

That sobered him up real fast, the comment stirring up memories. He narrowed his eyes at her, pulling his shirt back down. "It's none of your business." He tried to say without slurring his words. He had let this go too far already. He watched her fall ungracefully to the floor as she tried to get away from him. Edward quickly grabbed her arm as she was about to leave.

**(Winry)**

Going to a frat house when she couldn't even walk straight was not something Winry actually wanted to do. But she couldn't object when her roommate was halfway in the house and a few guys began to walk her way. She tried her best to stay as close to her roommate as possible; she had no idea where she was or who these people were. It was only a matter of time before her roommate was lost to the crowd and she was stranded in a sea of strangers. Panic surging through her she began to regret having drank so much.

While she tried scanning the room again she managed to fall into an unsuspecting guy. He turned around quickly, his eyes flashing for a moment before he looked her up and down. His face immediately lit up at the sight of her. Winry quickly pulled her hair over her shoulder in an attempt to cover the cleavage he was staring at.

"What's a pretty girl like you doing all by herself?" He mused.

Winry shot another look around the room she was in, but still no sign of her roommate. The guy was twice her size and she was in no state to upset him. Trying not to appear bitchy she smiled sweetly. "Thank you, but I didn't come here by myself…my roommate left me."

Weird she didn't mean for that to come out. She scolded herself; she should have said she came with a boyfriend or something else to turn him off.

Looking like he had just won the lottery he put an arm around her shoulder, "Here have some punch and then I'll help you look for the girl ok?"

It didn't take a genius to see through his pretense, but for some reason she didn't. Deciding he really was going to help her she gladly accepted the punch and drank.

As if she was being launched into the future she couldn't remember how she got upstairs or who the guy looming over her was. He was kissing down her neck and his hands were…oh god. She started to shake, her mouth not being able to form the word she wanted so desperately to say. Feeling queasy and upset she finally managed to get it out. "S-stop, please no." she tried.

Either he wasn't listening or he just didn't care because he wasn't doing as she asked. The fear building up, she knew the night had been one mistake after the next. Had it only been hours ago that she had looked down on girls for letting this very same thing happen? Had she not been one to wonder why they let themselves fall into such situations?

Scared of where this was headed, where it had already gone she threw her knee up, effectively hitting him where it would deal the most damage. As he moaned in pain she rolled out from under him and ran out of the room, slamming the door in her wake. Running the wrong way down the hallway she realized the stairs were back past the door she had just come from. Afraid that he would see her pass she opened the closest door to her and stepped in.

To say she was relieved, shocked, embarrassed and angered would all have been truthful. Standing in her bra and underwear was her roommate, a boy holding her back. She noticed the upset look on Rose's face and assumed the worst as she caught sight of the metal arm stopping her from escaping. Having so narrowly averted this same predicament she took off one of her heels and chucked it at his head.

"YOU LEAVE HER ALONE!" She spoke in a dangerous tone.

The guy instantly let go of her roommate as he held his hand to his head. "What the hell?"

Rose walked towards her looking relieved. "Winry!" she gushed. "I can't believe I almost slept with a mutant!" She laughed as if nothing of consequence had occurred and tried to walk past her towards the door but the guy stopped her once again. This time Winry noticed the metal hand and felt her stomach drop.

Now that she had really looked at the situation, she knew why the guy was halting her roommate. In his other hand he held out her roommates dress. "I was just trying to give her this! The girl came on to me!" He spoke angrily.

Her head spun as her stomach rolled. It seemed fairly reasonable, but reasoning wasn't coming easy to her at the moment. Finding it hard to stand, she just stared at the boy from class, completely unaware that her roommate had left without the dress. It was surprising that he didn't notice either, why was he staring at her like that?

Oh right. She wiped the tears from her face, trying to forget the memory of the guy's hands on her as much as she had forgotten most of the night already.

**(Edward)**

She was friends with the girl from class? He instantly felt guilty as she caught him in such an incriminating way…well that was until she beamed him in the head with her shoe. Why the hell he still found her intriguing was beyond him.

It was hard to not find her alluring while they were alone in a bedroom and his senses were altered. But it was the tear marks down her face that made him forget any ideas he might have had. He led her over to the bed and made her sit. As if snapping from her daze she suddenly looked frightened again. He rolled his eyes as he kneeled down and slipped the shoe back on her foot. If she really knew him she would have known he wasn't the type to take advantage of a girl like that.

Looking up at her he put a comforting hand on her knee. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you." Getting hit in the head had a good way of sobering someone up he concluded. "I'll take you home if you want." He offered.

Her eyes closed as she swayed a little, but she suddenly relaxed, her lips curling up in a fragile smile. "I trust you."

He griped her shoulders, "Hey!" He snapped his fingers in front of her face. "Don't go to sleep." He ordered her, but it was too late the girl was out cold.

* * *

**Next chapter: Walk of Shame**

A/N: I realize they are OC but they had to be a little bit to fit this story. That and I know I made Rose's character bad news bears so I apologize to any Rose fans.


	2. Walk of Shame

A/N: Just want to warn you that this chapter has some serious issues involving adult content. If this makes you uncomfortable please don't read any further, thank you.

**Chapter 2: Walk of Shame**

**(Rose POV)**

Rolling over, she glanced at the guy lying beside her. Stretching slowly she looked him over, he was pretty good looking, but for some reason she thought he had looked different last night. Shaking off the weird feeling she looked around the room. She pinpointed her underwear and bra but no sign of her dress. "Fuck me." She smirked humorlessly.

"I thought I already did?" The guy she had thought was sleeping spoke up.

Rolling her eyes, she ran a hand through her tangled hair. "Well are you going to help me find my dress or not?" She asked in impatience.

He stretched but didn't make a move to help her. "Sweetheart you never had one."

Rose suddenly felt uncomfortable; this was the guy she had met at the beginning of the night right? She didn't really remember much of the party but hadn't she followed him up to the room they were now sitting in? Though one look around the room clearly indicated that there was no dress to be found. "Of course I had one smartass; I didn't come here like this." She added sarcastically as she put her undergarments on. For a brief second she wished she had worn something a little more covering than the lacy materiel she now adorned.

The guy patted the empty spot on the bed next to him, "Why don't you forget about your dress for a little bit?" He asked eyeing her over with a renewed sense of interest.

Rose caught a glance at the wall next to the bed recognizing the Greek block letters hanging up. Wait a minute…her heart dropped. "Where am I?" She asked weakly.

The guy laughed loudly, "You're in the Delta Tau house and you've just earned the right to sign your name."

Despite what she knew her roommate probably thought of her antics, she had never done anything like this. Sure she had been with a few guys, but she had remembered getting in bed with all of them and even the awkward 'it was a good time but let's agree to never talk again' moment in the morning. Now she knew for a fact that this was not the guy she had originally sought after. The Delta T house was at least a block away from the Beta house if she remembered right.

Her throat went dry as she turned to face the wall he was grinning at. There had to be over fifty signatures covering the surface, some in loopy handwriting, some with hearts and even some with numbers. "I have to go." She mumbled before stumbling out the door.

Thinking things couldn't get any worse she knew she had just jinxed herself. As if on cue a guy ahead of her stepped out from his room. Upon seeing her, his expression changed his face lighting up with a knowing smile. Winking at her as she passed he wolf whistled, "Hey you need to sign my wall too before you go!" He yelled after her.

Rose stopped in her tracks her hands clenched at her sides. "What?" she whispered in fear.

He rolled his eyes, his grin widening, "You heard me. You earned the right to sign my wall girlie."

"Don't worry." Another guy approached her, "You already signed my wall."

No…no this was not happening. Her thoughts suddenly went to her innocent roommate, oh god had they done something to her? She might have shamed herself, but she wasn't sure she could ever forgive herself if she had gotten Winry caught up in it as well. Her pace had turned into a run as several more guys stopped her along the way, recognition illuminating their faces as they playfully slapped and cat called at her. She tried to block out the number of times guys yelled at her to sign their walls…what kind of sick game were they playing?

Tears budding at the corners of her eyes she managed to grab a sweatshirt from off a coat hook and throw it over herself before sprinting out into the light. Stumbling down the street she could feel the sets of eyes on her. The dirty sweatshirt might have disgusted her, but as she ran barefoot down the street she just didn't have it in her to really care.

**(Ed POV)**

It wasn't the best night's sleep he had ever gotten, but obviously the girl lying across his chest wasn't bothered in the least. He had spent most of the night trying to figure out what to do, well what was the right thing to do at least. She had passed out on the bed and seeing as he had no idea where she lived and wasn't about to carry her aimlessly around the large campus he decided to just let her sleep. She was currently using him as a pillow, but he didn't mind.

The sun was starting to stream in through the windows allowing him to really see where he was. He was obviously in one of the brothers rooms in the Beta Tau Alpha house. Guess the guys were pretty chill, if he had found two people cuddled up on his bed he wouldn't have been too pleased. Looking at the sleeping girl he knew this was the perfect moment to walk out. She was out cold, he could easily slip from her embrace and avoid an awkward moment, but he couldn't forget the scared look in her eyes the night before. Seeing him involved with her friend had nothing to do with the sheer look of panic on her features when she first opened the door. Something had happened to her, he looked at her sweet features, and he hoped, for her sake, he was wrong.

The age old predicament, to stay or to go? Well he figured he might as well stay and at least do some explaining so she didn't jump to any conclusions. She seemed like the kind of girl that wouldn't hesitate to beat him over the head…she had already shown that she had one hell of an arm when she hit him with her shoe. For some reason getting hit in the head by her shoe made him grin, she had spunk and wasn't afraid to stand up for herself…two very attractive things in his eyes. But all attractiveness aside he wondered if the occupant of their room was gone or whether he would have to face someone in the near future. He would be willing to bet on the second scenario.

Sure enough the door opened a little bit later, a guy walking straight through his head down. His steps relayed a presence of some substance still holding over him as he ambled in unaware of Edward watching him. Stumbling a few steps he must have missed the sight of two foreign people in his bed because he flopped ungracefully towards the bed. Ed let out a howl of anger as the guy crushed him.

The next few seconds were a blur of screams and indignant moments of rage and confusion. It wasn't pretty.

"Ah!" The man yelled as he jerked out of his stupor catching sight of Ed. But that was before he heard the gasp from the girl. Rolling over on the bed he barely missed a beat, he propped his head up on his hand as he turned toward the stunned face. "Well what do we have here?" He mused with a wicked grin.

Smack.

Oh he was going to have a mark for sure. Ed would probably have been a little more amused at the sight of the guy getting smacked if she wasn't also glaring in his direction. Before shooting them each a deadly stare, she quickly jumped up from the bed and fled from the room. The guy heaved a disappointed sigh as he let out a loud and rather disgusting belch. Looking over his shoulder her made a face, "Next time, you should probably leave before she wakes up." He offered.

He was not about to take advice from a guy who clearly looked like he had just finished his last drink only minutes before. "Yeah I'll keep that in mind." The sarcasm dripping from his voice.

He looked him over briefly before shaking his head. "You're lucky Havoc knows you kid or else I would have beaten the shit out of you for getting with some chick in my bed." He added in a serious tone.

Had knowing Havoc really pulled him out of bad situation? Well he wasn't about to pick a fight when the guy had about a 100 brothers who had his back, that and he would have been pissed if the situation was reversed. "Yeah, thanks." He muttered.

Walking down the hallway he noticed the obvious aftermath of a hurricane, or college party. Something green was dripping down the wall, there were red cups scattered here and there and several bras hanging from the chandelier over the main stairway. Watching his step he managed to make it down the booby trapped stairs and into the front room. Damn. There had to be at least 20 people alone lying scattered across couches chairs with the occasional guy face down on the floor. He scanned the group looking for the girl but no luck. Rubbing his throbbing head the image of her slapping the guy ran comically through his mind. However, he had a sinking feeling that had that guy not been between them she would have directed her anger straight at him. He has a sinking feeling she probably wouldn't ever talk to him again. Not that they had really talked to begin with but the thought still made him feel bad. Whatever, all he wanted to do was go back to his dorm and pretend the sun never came up.

Agitated, he brushed two empty cans of beer off his car before he got in. The street was lined with either Fraternity houses or club houses. The swimmers house boasted a slogan, nicknaming themselves the "Fish Tank", while a few houses down a car was parked out in the front yard, a guy in a lawn chair sitting on top. Upon closer inspection he noticed the guy had graffiti all over him, for that guys sake he better hope it wasn't permanent marker. Ed shook his head wondering if this was what the street always looked like.

Turning down the volume of his radio to a dull level he tried to avoid the oncoming headache. Driving down the street he was about to turn onto the main road when he noticed a familiar blonde walking down the sidewalk. She had her arms crossed across her chest, her pace fast and determined as she looked straight ahead. He thought about just driving away, but for whatever reason he felt he at least owed her an explanation.

Pulling up next to her he rolled down the window. "Hey!"

She flinched but turned toward him anyway. Her eyes widened as she recognized his face. Her lower lip trembled for a second before she turned abruptly her arms circling tighter around her torso, her step quickened.

"Hop in," He called at her retreating form. "Come on, I'll drive you home."

"Please?" He offered weakly. This wasn't how he wanted her to remember him. He had to suffer an entire semester of running into her in not only in their Chemistry lecture but the lab as well; it would be nice if they could at least be civil. Once again he wasn't sure why that mattered, it just did.

**(Winry POV)**

She had never been more upset with herself. How had she let one mistake lead to another and then another? Her head was filled with images and feelings that made her feel sick to her stomach…or maybe she actually was going to be sick to her stomach. Even though she had woken up with all her clothes on, she had no idea how she ended up in a room with two guys. Rose was nowhere to be seen, her head ached, and her stomach was churning. She gazed towards the ground as she continued to walk down the street, feeling the shame wash over her. All she wanted to do was crawl into her bed and dream this never happened.

He called after her a third and fourth time, but it wasn't until the fifth that she realized just how far of walk she did have back to her dorm. The sun was starting to glare making her head scream in agony. The terrible pain combined with one look at her short skirt started to make her rethink her earlier objections. Was running away from the truth the best way to handle this? Lost in her thoughts she barely noticed that he had caught up and was already leaning over to open the passenger side door.

Winry eyed the shiny red corvette with a hint of admiration; she liked working on restored cars like his. Though she doubted the guy waiting for her to get in had done any of the work himself. Probably just another spoiled rich kid, who had given her a sweatshirt, tried to get with her roommate, slept in the same bed as her and was trying to offer her a ride home. She wasn't sure what to make of those things. Who was he? She didn't exactly dwell on it as a wave of nausea griped her, suddenly the only decision she had was to let it all out.

Dropping to her knees she felt her stomach lurch a few times before she finally gave in. Perfect, not only had she embarrassed herself several times in front of this kid now after a horrible night he opens the door for her and she pukes. She half imagined him slamming the door shut and driving off with a disgusted look on his face. Good, she hoped he would drive off and just let her be; he was beginning to make her life so damn complicated.

"Ugh…" She moaned in pain as her body shook again before her stomach threatened to try another round.

It was after the third round of dry heaving that she realized someone was holding her hair while they rubbed her back. Looking up she noticed his face was clenched together not with disgust but…was that worry? Great the guy was some bipolar freak…just like you her conscious amended. One minute she was scared out of her mind the next she was chucking her shoe in rage and then she was crying. Wiping at her wet eyes she tried to compose herself, checking to see if she had gotten any puke on herself. That's all she needed at this point. But the hangover was here to stay and the world was starting to mimic the merry go round she had found fun as a kid but now felt nothing but resentment. Unable to get a grip on her surroundings she let Edward help her into his car, her head resting against the cool glass of the door window.

The guy broke the silence first. "Nothing happened."

Winry didn't have the strength to wonder why she had gotten into the car with him. She didn't even have the strength to ponder why she actually believed he was telling her the truth.

"Nothing happened?" She repeated weakly.

He sighed, "I know what you saw when you first came in, but I'm not that kind of guy. You passed out before I could find out where you live. I wasn't about to leave a pretty girl like you passed out in a house full of guys; even if these guys aren't so bad." He admitted reluctantly.

Her mind skimmed over his words; did he just call her pretty? "I'm sorry." She added slowly afraid that opening her mouth to speak anything more might make it easier for the nausea to take over.

She saw him glance at her out of the corner of his eyes. "Don't apologize, you didn't do anything wrong."

Swallowing, she could taste the aftermath of being sick still lingering in her mouth. "No, I do. Thank you for helping me…that's twice now."

"Alright, well you can thank me by telling me where you live." He added thoughtfully.

She looked out the window not really enjoying watching things pass them by. It was hardly ideal to see things moving around her when they were already rolling around in her head. Closing her eyes she muttered something about Walker Street and Edgar lane. He didn't question her so she just figured he knew she was talking about Aldrich Hall, her dormitory building.

She was surprised when she felt the car stop, were they there already? Looking up at the familiar building she wondered why he had parked the car instead of just dropping her off. He was out of the vehicle and rounding around to open her door before she could protest.

"Come on." He prodded her.

Stepping out she didn't fight him as he guided her with his hands. Not that she was accustomed to relying on people to help her, but she had also never drank so much in her life. Currently she was in no shape to really argue against any kind of help she could get. Once they made it up to her room she paused before opening the door. She hated that she blushed hard when his hands grazed her arms to help her. It seemed silly that after everything she still didn't know his name. "I don't think we got off to a great start."

He chuckled before reaching out towards her, his hand extended in greeting. "Yeah I don't think so either. Hi, I'm Edward but you can call me Ed."

Winry returned his smile; at least things were starting to look up. "Nice to meet you Ed, my name is Winry."

Not sure what else to say she turned back to unlock the door in her unease. Expecting to find Rose passed out in her bed she was confused when the room appeared untouched. Looking around she noticed that not one thing had been moved since they had left the previous night. Rose was a partier, but she never stayed out all night. Winry thought momentarily of the guy leading her upstairs. Shivering slightly she backtracked, feeling a wave of fear run through her. "My roommates not home."

Ed just stared at her before shrugging his shoulders, "She's probably still back at the BTA house."

"I need to make sure she's ok." Winry stated firmly, even if sleeping was the only thing she wanted to do. There was no way she was going to be able to sleep off her hangover while she knew her roommate was missing. Her hand subconsciously rubbed at her throbbing temple. "Even if she's at the house, I at least have to know she's alright."

Ed pushed her back towards her bed, "You aren't going anywhere."

Trying to stand back up, Winry glared at this Ed guy. So much for starting over, maybe he was just an insufferable man. "And you're going to stop me?" She asked defiantly.

"Calm down, my buddy is part of that fraternity. I'll call Havoc and ask him to check on her ok?"

Winry relaxed slightly as he proceeded to call this Havoc guy. Maybe she was overacting a little bit, Rose had been going out for a couple weeks now, and she hadn't had any problems so far. Yeah, so far.

"Still drunk?" He greeted the guy on the other end of the line.

"Funny…but I need your help." There was a short pause. "Can you check the house for that girl that was talking to me last night?"

Winry watched as his cheeks reddened slightly, "No not the blonde girl, the girl with the pink streaks in her hair…ok, call me when after you find her."

Ed walked over to her desk and took a seat, before leaning back and closing his eyes. "He'll call me as soon as he finds her, I'm sure he'll be able to drop her off on his way back."

"You're sure he's going to find her?" All things considered she wasn't so sure about these fraternity men.

"If there's a girl left in that house, he'll find her." Ed replied in good humor.

Winry laid back down on her bed, letting the headache consume her. Dammit Rose, it scared her that she had no idea how to get a hold of her, especially when the girl had purposely left her phone on her desk. If she wasn't at the BTA house Winry wasn't sure what she should do. Should she call the police? Should she go around interrogating people?

"Go to sleep, I'll wake you up when he calls back ok?"

Winry raised her eyebrows, "I'm not going to fall asleep with a stranger in my room." She retorted.

"I thought we weren't strangers anymore, Winry." He asked in mock affront.

"All I know is that you drive a nice 1963 Corvette Sting Ray Coupe, you're friends with this Havoc guy, your taking chemistry this semester, and your automail needs a good tune up." She counted off sarcastically.

Before long his face went from a stunned silence to a wide grin. "How do you know what kind of car that is and how do you know that my automail needs a tune up?" He added defensively.

Great, now he was going to think she was a complete machine junky. "I've worked with automail since I was a kid, my grandmother's kind of legend where I'm from. As for the car…" She sighed. "I work at a local garage to help pay for school."

Trying to pull the attention off of herself she quickly changed the subject not too keen to explain why she not only had to work on automail but at the garage to pay for her school. "Care to tell how you got both an automail leg and arm?"

His face immediately went pale. "Not exactly."

Winry frowned but wasn't deterred, she would dig it out of him so way. Wait…was she planning on spending time with this guy? He didn't seem like such a bad guy anymore. Stubborn yes, but he was helping her out, that had to count for something.

Suddenly his ringtone filled the air. Ed put the cell phone up to his ear. "Hey Havoc."

She watched with bated breath as his lips pressed together forming a thin line. "Are you sure?" He asked softly. After a few seconds his eyes closed. "Thanks anyways."

Oh no. She didn't need to listen to the other end of the conversation to realize Rose wasn't there. Edward stood up quickly stuffing his phone in his pocket. She could only stare helplessly as he walked to the door; she had kind of hoped he would help her. But to be fair he didn't owe her anything at this point.

"Well." He prompted when she remained frozen in place. "Even though I think you should rest a little more, your roommate probably won't listen to me when I find her. You might as well come too."

"What?" Winry asked in shock.

"You might as well come too." He repeated in a slow and overdramatic fashion.

"No, I understood you fine the first time. You are going to help me find her?" She wondered out loud.

Edward shot her an endearing lopsided grin. "What else would I be doing?"

**(Ed POV)**

OK so he lied, he would have rather just hung out with Winry than gone to look for her crazy roommate, but oh well. After sensing the fear and compassion radiating from the blonde he couldn't possibly let it go. If spending his Saturday while he was a little hung over looking for this girl made Winry happy, well he might as well give it a try.

As they continued to drive the streets he was beginning to feel a little doubtful of their ability to find Rose, but he wasn't about to call the police just yet. The quiet panic on her face made him determined to help. Just when he was about to double back and cruise the street again he felt Winry's hand slam into his chest.

"STOP!" she screamed.

Slamming on the brakes he groaned as the sensation ripped through him. "What the hell Winry!"

But she was already out the door and attacking a girl into her embrace. Edward sat back in his seat letting out a deep breath. Finally.

As Winry stepped aside to let Rose squeeze into the front seat with her Ed had to bit his tongue to keep from saying anything. The girl looked a mess, her hair was tangled, makeup was running down her face and her body swam in the large Delta Tau sweatshirt. Figuring he might find himself whacked over the head he didn't comment instead, he proceeded to turn the car around and head them back to the dorm.

Back at the dorm he parked in his usual spot and proceeded to follow the two girls into the hall. He noticed Winry look over her shoulder at him curiously. Halting Rose momentarily she turned around and gave him a kind smile. "Thank you for everything." Her smile faltered a little. "I can take it from here."

"Don't worry about it." He repeated calmly before continuing to follow them towards the steps.

She turned around once more, her expression switching to annoyed. "Really, we're fine you can go now."

"Yeah, I know."

"Then why are you still following us." Her voice inched up a notch.

She was still beautiful, even when she was mad. "I happen to live here."

"Like I believe that." She crossed her arms suspiciously.

"Fine. Don't believe me." He spoke calmly. "I'll see you in chemistry." He added before he walked past both of them towards the stairwell. There were two things he was sure about right then. One, that Rose chick had definitely had a bad night and two she was lucky to have someone like Winry who cared. His thoughts remained jumbled as he finally flopped down on his bed. He wasn't sure if the night had been a complete debauchery. Lucky him Winry lived one floor above him and conveniently shared both his chemistry lecture and lab with him. He wondered if she realized they would be picking their partners next week. Even if she wasn't too thrilled with their first encounter the fact that there would be more made him feel a little better.

* * *

**Next chapter: Rush Crush**


	3. Rush Crush

A/N: I mean no offensive to any Greek organizations. As my sister kindly reminded me when I asked her to help me with this "there are great sororities and respectful fraternities" but as this is a fictional story I reserve the right to embellish a little. Forgive me!

**Chapter 3: Rush Crush**

**(Winry POV)**

"Rose?" She waited a second but the girl didn't even move. "Rose?" Winry repeated a little louder.

Usually the sight of her roommate sleeping in wouldn't bother her, but it was now Monday and it was going on 3pm. "Rose, if you get up now you can still make it to your last class." She suggested kindly.

The covers moved a little but she received no answer. Sighing softly Winry put a hand on her shoulder. "Please Rose?" The girl was starting to scare her.

Finally the comforter folded down and she caught a glimpse of her roommate. Her heart sank for the broken girl that looked like her life was over. They hadn't started off as the best of friends, but Winry knew that look.

Rose's eyes began to fill with tears as Winry tried to smile comfortingly at her. "Are you mad at me?" She mumbled sadly, obviously thinking about the horrible night she had pulled her through.

"What's there to be mad at?" She tried to encourage a smile out of her. "Come on, there is some inedible food in the commons calling our name." She offered humorously.

The hint of a grin ghosted across her face, "Thanks."

Winry watched as Rose picked idly at the food on her plate, her face lined with things she was obviously not telling her. It was frustrating; she had no idea how to confront something that was hidden behind such a façade. About to start up a light conversation to pull her roommates mind away from the weekend's events she started to talk about nothing in particular when they were interrupted by a few girls. The first girl smiled kindly, the stack of fliers in her hands a vibrant pink. Winry reluctantly took one of the fliers offered to her.

"Hi girls! We just wanted to let you know that sorority recruitment is next week starting on Monday at 7pm in the Student Center building." One of the girls with short brown hair announced sweetly.

"If you sign up for it now we will be able to give you all the updates and any information you need." Another girl piped up.

Winry cringed, boy were they asking the wrong girl. She wouldn't be caught dead doing some of the things she had heard sorority girls did. Trying to be polite she attempted to hand the flier back. "No thank you."

She was surprised that despite her attempt to blow them off that none of them appeared deterred.

"You don't have to go if you sign up, this is just a way for us to let you know when all the recruitment events are and answer any of your questions." She shifted her gaze from Winry to Rose. "Even if you decide sorority life isn't for you, you can always quit. But if you never try, you'll never know." She prompted in a well rehearsed sounding speech.

Winry glanced at Rose who seemed to be struggling with something. Hadn't her roommate said something about wanting to join a sorority at the beginning of the year? Then again after what had happened to her, Winry figured she might want to stay away from the social scene for a little.

"It starts next Monday?" Rose asked slowly.

One of the girls beamed at her, "Yes, next Monday September 28."

Rose looked briefly up at Winry before signing her name to the list. "You'll come with me, right?" she asked hopefully.

No…no no no. Her head was screaming the two letter word, but how could she possibly say it? Begrudgingly Winry followed after Rose feeling as if she were signing away her soul. This was something she was never going to live down. The girls seemed nice enough but Winry just wasn't sure sorority life was something she would find 'enjoyable' in the least.

"You owe me." She mumbled out in annoyance.

Despite the horrible feeling of dread she felt at having to actually participate in something she was sure demeaned all women she did have to admit that her roommate was beginning to resemble herself again. It was obvious that she was looking forward to recruitment. If the obsessive wonderings and constant babble about what to wear weren't enough Rose was also using her spare time to quiz Winry on what she would wear and what sorority she thought she would like.

By the end of the day Rose had lost the red eyed lost look, her face brightened once more. It blew her mind that she had opted to stay in for the night. Usually Monday night madness at Pub six was the place to be. Instead, she was currently looking online at all the sororities on campus. Maybe, just maybe, this whole sorority thing would actually be good for her.

Winry tried to concentrate on studying for her chemistry exam but ignoring her roommate's squeals of excitement every now and then was proving to be more of a challenge than she thought. Being the good roommate she was she couldn't very well tell her to knock it off seeing as the girl was getting excited about the whole sorority thing. Being excited about joining a sorority was a much better Rose than the lethargic depressed one she had witnessed earlier. Her patience running thin she mumbled something about the library before setting off.

Finding a quiet corner on the fifth floor of the library was easy enough, but concentrating on the formulas in front of her wasn't. Running a frustrated hand through her long hair, she propped her head up in the palm of her hand, her elbow on the table. No matter how many times her eyes skimmed the numbers and words there was one name that ran right through her. She wasn't the typical girl, she didn't crush on guys. But after spending more than an hour without getting anything done but wondering if she would run into Ed she decided it was too late. She was crushing like a teenage girl, how humiliating.

Four hours later was enough to convince her that if she didn't understand it now she was never going to. Grudgingly she walked up the stairs to her floor, her head hung in defeat. The stereotype about college changing everything was ringing true. It had barely been a month and already she had seen and done things that were a far cry from the country girl she had once been. Good riddance.

Whack. Stumbling backwards she groaned in pain as she hit the railing, letting her book slide through her hands. What the hell…?

Standing looking a little dazed himself was the root of her problems at the moment, Edward. He didn't know she had been thinking about him but that didn't stop her cheeks from flushing in embarrassment.

"Sorry Winry." He apologized after a few seconds of awkward silence.

Winry waved his apology away; she should have been paying better attention. Afraid of what her voice might sound like she sent him a reassuring smile before continuing on up the stairs.

"Hey wait!" He held out her chemistry book. "You dropped this."

"Oh." She managed to stammer out before reclaiming the item from his hands. "Thanks." She would rather sit in her room listening to Rose squeal over sorority stuff than have to stand in this awkward conversation with Ed.

"Studying for our chemistry exam?" He asked.

Feeling her pent up frustrations about studying surface she heaved a sigh. "I tried."

"Tried?"

Why did he care? She was beginning to think that maybe he just enjoyed watching her in distress. "No matter how many times I look at these formulas I still don't understand the mechanics of it all." That particular fact aggravated her more than anything else. Understanding how something worked was a personal trait she was distinctly proud of.

"Well I'm heading to my room to study for a little bit, I could help you out…" He offered in a friendly gesture.

"Yes!" She breathed out in relief only realizing after he half grinned that she had agreed to follow him to his room. Oh why did she have to agree so quickly? She didn't want him to think that she was always in need of someone to help her; she was very capable of taking care of herself.

**(Ed POV)**

Who would have thought his knowledge of chemistry would have brought a beautiful girl into his room. Now if only he knew how to keep her there…

"Did I do it right?" She asked, her forehead knit with worry.

He scanned her balanced equation, noting her improvement over the past hour. It felt good to actually tell her, "You got it."

An excited squeal burst from her mouth as she grinned widely at the problem. "I hope it's this easy on the exam tomorrow."

Having spent the past minute gazing at her blue eyes he didn't hear her next question. Judging from the expectant look on her face, she was obviously waiting for a reply. "Huh?"

She flushed immediately, "Oh, I just thought maybe…"

He could see her hand nervously toying with her pen. What had she asked him?

"I mean, I understand if you want someone who is better as this sort of thing." She finished, the disappointment clearly written on her face.

Woah, what was she asking him to do? Why would he want someone better? She obviously didn't see herself very clearly. He wasn't too concerned about what exactly he was agreeing to but he figured whatever it was she was the one he wanted. "Why can't it be you?"

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You'll be my lab partner?"

He needed to get his mind out of the gutter; of course that's what she had asked him. "Looks like it." A crafty smirk rested on his lips. He may have been completely oblivious to girls prior to college, but something about this girl pushed him to be bold, made it easy to flirt, and made him feel the irresistible need to be around her.

A long and drawn out yawn awakened him to her fatigue. His eyes nearly popped out of his head after a quick glance across the room towards his alarm clock alerted him to the time. "Its 1am already?" They had class in less than eight hours, he could live off of no sleep at all, but a good nine hours of sleep was heaven.

Looking too tired to really speak she rubbed at her eyes before packing her book and notes back into her bag. Rising from the floor she threw her bag over her shoulder. She smiled gently through yet another yawn. "I should probably go. Thanks Ed, I owe you."

He opened the door for her watching as she walked out into the hallway. "No problem, guess I'll see you in class tomorrow…or today I should say." He corrected himself at seeing the time once again.

Winry glanced at her watch, "Guess it is past midnight...I'll see you in a few hours." She joked.

Ed enjoyed a laugh before waving her off. Falling onto his bed, he watched the ceiling as the smile on his face grew wider and wider. He had always like science it was all about action and reaction, but at last it seemed chemistry was about to get real interesting.

"Why are you so smiley?" He asked sullenly as she joined him on the walk back from class.

The dimples in her cheeks accenting her already cute expression began to deepen. "That wasn't bad at all." She remarked as if it were obvious.

Ed wasn't about to admit that the entire test he had thought about the way her hair fell over her face as she concentrated. He knew he had done well, but he was going to have to find some way to keep from letting something like that distract him. What was wrong with him anyways? Fighting his hormones had never really been a big problem. Having a short temper, sure; mood swings, yes. But pinning over a girl? No, this was definitely a new phenomenon.

"Whatever you say."

Her face puckered a little, "You're not telling me Mr. Science guy thought it was hard, are you?"

"Yeah yeah, laugh it up." He muttered, though he couldn't quite feel any kind of animosity towards the smiling girl. He enjoyed the way her laughter came out easy and soft to the ears.

After waving goodbye he groaned as he noticed the notice on his dorm room door.

"Figured I would have to put that up there to remind you."

Ed turned over his shoulder, "Hey Havoc, can't say It's good to see ya."

"Aw don't be a spoil sport, a deals a deal."

He halfway remembered accepting a bid from Beta Tau Alpha, halfway.

"Pledge night starts at ten." He slapped him on the back before walking back down the hallway, "Don't be late!"

Ed shook his head, what a pain. But as he glanced at the Delta Tau bid card that acknowledged him as a legacy he cringed. Most of the BTA guys seemed a hell of a lot better than the cocky DT men. But at this point the idea of pissing off his dad was the biggest reason for his consent.

Coming back from the gym he rolled his shoulder in a circular motion, feeling the tense friction flair up his nerves. It had been awhile since his last maintenance but the thought of finding a mechanic around the area didn't seem like the greatest way to spend his time. He didn't like boasting about having automail so asking around for a local mechanic wasn't high on his to do list. He shuddered remembering his old mechanic; the guy was a little much at times. Mr. Garfield was a rare breed and an expert at making Ed feel completely out of his comfort zone.

He was just about to walk up to his dorm room when the lights suddenly went out. It took him a split second to realize why his world had suddenly gone black, but once he did he struggled like hell. The feeling of the scratchy material rubbing against his face reminded him of an old kidnapping scene he had seen in a movie. What the hell was going on?

His thrashing and the unparalleled amount of curse words streaming from his mouth did little to stop his kidnappers. He heard voices, but none of them distinct enough to put a name to a face. Of course his father was pretty rich but in all his years no one had tried the whole ransom avenue. After being thrown into a moving vehicle his captures began to bind his wrists and ankles preventing him from creating any real chaos. Smart enough to conserve his energy he waited it out. If they were taking him like this they obviously had a reason for keeping him alive.

Being dragged a good distance and taken down a flight of stairs he couldn't be sure where he was. The damp and musty smell alluded to being underground but where exactly this underground was he couldn't be sure. Depending on his other senses wasn't proving to be much of any help either.

When at last he felt the ropes sag from his ankles and wrists and the sack pulled over his head he squinted in the harsh light. Looking around his mouth dropped to the floor, this was nothing he had ever seen before. Standing around him and a group of other disoriented looking guys was a large circle of men, each wearing a blue hooded cloak sufficiently covering their faces. Narrowing his eyes he glanced around the circle suspiciously.

One of the men standing almost directly in front of Ed stepped forward. "Welcome to hell ladies."

**(Winry POV)**

Winry wanted nothing more than to run far, far away. There had to be over 200 girls waiting in the ballroom for the start of recruitment. A group of women started the event off with introductions and proceeded to split up all 200 girls into recruitment groups. Thankfully both her and Rose had ended up in the same Rho Chi group. Taking in a relieved breath she exhaled slowly, only five houses to visit and then she could leave. Figuring the leader of her group to be yet another bimbo she was a little thrown off by the girl waiting for them. Their Rho Chi leader looked distinctly professional, her blond hair twisted neatly to the back of her head, her pencil skirt complemented with a plain white blouse. The clip board in her hands revealed a set of complex but well organized notes.

"Hello girls my name is Riza Hawkeye I will be your Rho Chi for the next week. If you look at your books you will see each sorority's information, we will be visiting each of these sororities houses today. After today both you and the sororities you have visited will put down your top two. You will be asked back for the next round and so on. I will explain more in depth at the end of each day." She finished quickly, her directions flawless. "Now shall we head to our first house?"

Rose smiled vibrantly at her side, "Oh I just hope I'm an Alpha Zeta!"

Flipping through the book quickly Winry had to fight to keep the grin off her face. The girls depicted in the picture were a living stereotype. "You haven't even met them yet, how do you know that's the one you want to join?" She tried to understand the attraction of the fake smiles radiating from the picture.

"Just you wait; I heard they are the best sorority on campus." Rose spoke fervently.

As they approached sorority row Winry was momentarily taken by the sight. She only vaguely heard Riza explain to them which house they were entering first, but there was no need. The frantic pulling on her arm was enough to signal to her that the first house they were going to was undoubtedly the infamous AZ house.

Standing at the door were at least twenty girls in matching khaki skirts and low cut white fitted shirts. In gold and pink letters above the door was the symbol for alpha and zeta. Everything from their gold lavalieres to their white headbands matched perfectly. Feeling almost corralled into the house she was instantly separated from Rose and drove into the company of two blond haired twins. The first girl smiled widely at her, "Hi, welcome to Alpha Zeta. I'm Regina and this is my twin sister Kelly."

Feeling a little self-conscious about the casual attire she had on she tried to make the best of it. "I'm Winry."

"Well if you follow us we can give a quick tour of the house." Kelly smiled but the warmth in the gesture was lost by the penetrating stare of her eyes. She hoped the house was smaller than it looked; she wasn't sure how much of this she could stand.

About fifteen minutes of history and tradition of being the best being shoved down her throat she gratefully followed them back to the main room.

"You want to be a doctor?" Regina asked, her eyebrows raised.

Finally a subject she could talk about! "Yes, I was originally thinking about engineering but…"

She was halted by the look of complete disbelief on each girls face. Kelly's mouth opened in shock, "You thought about engineering?"

Not entirely sure why they were so shocked she figured they must think that perhaps she had no experience in that area. "Actually I've been working on automail since I was young with my grandma; lately I've been working on cars but going to school to be a doctor has been a new dream of mine." She admitted proudly.

Both of the girls stared at her for a second before dissolving into fits of laughter. "Working as a mechanic? Oh god you are too funny!" Regina continued to laugh.

"You really had us going there for a second!" Kelly added amidst her giggles. She reached out and pulled another girl over to them. "Noa you just have to meet this girl! She is such a doll!"

A girl with tan skin and long shiny brown hair stared her down, her face a mixture of curiosity and judgment. "What did you say your name was?"

Winry couldn't tell if the twins were being serious or whether they were just pulling her leg. Did they really believe she was making it all up? In the end she decided she really didn't care, she would be out of their house in a few minutes time anyways. "Winry Rockbell."

Noa's face split into a smile. "Rockbell? Any relation to Sarah Rockbell?"

How did she know her mother's name? "Sarah was my mother."

Noa exchanged a knowing glance with the twins before beaming at her. "You should have told us you were a legacy!"

"Excuse me?" What was a legacy?

"A legacy silly! Your mom was an Alpha Zeta which means you are a legacy." She winked at her.

She still had no idea what that meant but she was having a hard time believing her mom had been an AZ. Though she thought sadly, she wouldn't really know what her mom was like.

Luckily Riza chose that moment to round up her group to go. Lost in her thoughts she answered vaguely to Rose's description of her perfect encounter. The next three houses passed by in a blur, each one a little different than the one before. But each time she found herself wondering about her mom, what else didn't she know about her?

At last they arrived at the final house. Rose seemed as tired as she felt her mouth forming a wide yawn. "I wish we could just bail, I mean we already know which one we want!" She whispered into Winry's ear.

She looked up at the letters on the house, hearing Riza announce that Kappa Delta would be their last house. Surprisingly Winry found herself feeling a little at home as the girls of KD swamped them. Instantly she was introduced to one of the sweetest girls she had met all night.

"My name is Gracia." She smiled warmly. "I bet you're probably a little overwhelmed at this point, why don't you ask me what _you_ want to know about us."

The question caught her off guard. Of all the houses they had been to the girls had primarily bragged about their status or pried into her social history. It took her a moment to think about it before she tried a question out that had been pulling at her thoughts. "Why did you join a sorority?"

Gracia smiled, but it wasn't the fake or forced gesture she had seen so many times that night. "It's weird I never thought I would join a sorority." She admitted. "But when I met these girls I knew this is exactly what I wanted to do. From day one these girls have helped me with my classes, inspired me to get involved in service projects and really helped me to see my own potential." Her face began to turn pink, "I know it sounds corny but before I met these girls I didn't have a lot of self-confidence and I never did anything really worthwhile. I'm a senior this year and I really can't imagine what my life would have been like without Kappa Delta."

It may have been her first time meeting Gracia but by the end of the house round she felt like they were old friends. Something about the way she spoke about her sorority sparked her curiosity. Maybe they weren't _all _bad. It wasn't just Gracia that changed her mind. In just Kappa Delta alone she had met Bunny a track and field star obsessed with sports, and Rebecca a complete girlie girl. She hated to admit it, but it was easy to picture herself there.

**(Rose POV)**

"Oh god, absolutely not. Nope. Horrible." Rose crossed off three of the sororities right off the bat, her hand hesitating on the last two. She peeked over at Winry's list noticing that all except the last two were crossed off too.

Kappa Delta girls seemed pretty down to earth, but she knew what her first choice would be. Putting a one by Alpha Zeta and a two by Kappa Delta she turned in her sheet to Riza. She wondered which sorority Riza was from; it truly astounded her that she was in fact a member of one.

"Winry." She chided upon catching a glimpse of her final numbering. "You don't have to be modest; you can put Alpha Zeta as your number one. I mean you're practically one of them already!" She couldn't believe her roommate didn't know that she was a legacy; if it had been her she would have announced it in the beginning. The girl was so lucky to have her as a roommate.

Her roommate frowned, her eyes downcast. "I think it was a mistake."

"What? How many Sarah Rockbell's do you think your mom went to school with?" She laughed loudly unaware of the faraway look in the girls blue eyes.

"I can't wait for tomorrow!" This was all so exciting and a wonderful way to put her worries at ease. Her depressed weekend mood was already forgotten. Just being caught up in the excitement of recruitment easily put her horrible weekend to rest, the images fading into the background. No point in dwelling on the past, in less than a week she would an AZ and then things would finally start to look up. She wondered why Winry wasn't more excited. If her mom had been an Alpha Zeta she would have bragged for hours. Funny, she wondered why Winry had never mentioned her parents before...

**(Olivia POV)**

The corners of her mouth turned down in a scowl. "We aren't wasting a potential spot on an Alpha Zeta legacy." It was ridiculous; legacies were top priority and what girl would turn down AZ?

She noticed the distressed look on Gracias face. Respecting her Vice President she opened the floor for discussion. As expected Gracia was the first to speak up for the girl. "I think you guys are wrong, she's nothing like those girls. If you don't extend her an invitation back to our recruitment you are missing out. You always ask us to trust one another, so I'm asking you to trust me. Winry won't accept a bid from AZ, I just know it."

Olivier looked around the room, she might be president, but there was something about Gracia that eluded her. She didn't speak out often but when she did everyone listened. Wanting to get through all the girls in a timely manner she decided it wasn't worth the fight. "All those in favor?"

Seeing a majority vote she put Winry's rating card in the acceptance pile, "Looks like we will be inviting her back tomorrow."

* * *

a/n: This is one of my filler chapters so bare with me.

Preview: Will Winry decide to follow in her mom's footsteps as an AZ or will she take a chance on KD? Just what did Ed get himself into and who are these guys dressed in capes? Will Rose find friends with the girls of AZ or will her walk of shame come back to haunt her...**Next Chapter: Hell Week**


	4. Hell Week: Part One

**Chapter 4: Hell Week Part One**

**(Ed POV)**

He wasn't sure how many guys surrounded them, but he did know that the measly twenty, including himself, were no match. At first he had been a little thrown off but he could have sworn he heard Havoc's unmistakable voice at one point. It was obvious that this wasn't some random setup; just hearing Havoc's voice was enough of a confirmation. So this was pledge night…hmm.

One of the bigger guys stepped forward, his face still masked under the hood. "From this night on we weed out the weak from the strong. Only the best are BTA material and the rest…well the rest of you might as well leave now." He threw his hood back a smirk on his face. "I'm Breda but around here I'm your pledge master and you will address me as pledge master."

Ed stared back at him unfazed; was he trying to be intimidating? His attitude usually got him in trouble, second to his mouth, this time was no different. His lack of attention gave him away.

"Name." Breda questioned him, his face inches away.

"Ed."

"Edward what?" The pledge master commanded.

"Elric and it's not Edward it's just Ed." He wasn't fond of being called his full name.

Out of nowhere the guy pulled at his sleeve revealing the automail arm underneath. "Automail huh? So you think you're a tough guy?" His tone left no room for objections.

A year ago he would have reacted differently, he probably would have decked this guy in the face, but they had him intrigued as to what this was all about. Holding back his fist was almost as exhausting as holding back his tongue.

The pledge master looked like he was waiting for either reaction, when it appeared he wasn't going to receive any he smirked at the lot of them. "We don't haze here…we build character." He grinned, "If you can't handle it… there's the door."

"You." He stopped his pacing in front of one of the pledges. "What's your name?"

"Denny."

"Denny, do you want to be a member of BTA?"

The guy looked wearily around, but his expression steeled as he spoke. "Yes."

"Yes what?"

Ed snapped his head in the direction of the new voice. How had he not noticed this guy? He was the only member wearing black robes instead of blue. A strange marking on his gloved hands caught his attention… interesting. He noticed the blond guy's larynx bob as he swallowed hard. "Yes, I want to be a member of BTA." He proclaimed albeit shaky.

The black hooded stranger pushed his hood back and instantly the rest of the members followed suit. It was clear from the looks on their faces that he was the highest ranking member in the room.

"One week." He pronounced loudly, "One week for you to show us the kind of men you are. Line up."

The pledges slowly formed a straight line in the middle of the circle; each man's face a perfect mirror of the other as they looked nervously around.

"On your hands and knees." He barked off.

A few of the guys dropped hastily, Edward leered at the man before reluctantly dropping to his hands. "Push up position, count em' off!"

The group came together slowly at first but unanimously as they continued. "…eighteen…nineteen…"

Ed let out a loud grunt as he felt a weight drop onto his back.

"Did I say stop?" Breda joined in.

Ignoring the added weight he felt the need to show off his strength, not allowing it to deter him in the least.

The guy in the black cloak paced their ranks watching them closely, eyeing them for any sign of weakness. "Loyalty, bravery and honor. These are your truths, the very core of your being. You are no longer the pathetic nobodies floating through mediocrity. If you make it through this week you will be more than a man, you'll be a legend. "

The silence between his words was filled with the labored breathing of the pledges as they struggled to keep counting off each set of pushups. Ed could hear his metal appendage protest under the strain of prolonged usage, his current model needed work. He should have found a mechanic by now, his arm had been giving him problems and this wasn't helping. Lucky for him the pledge master looked satisfied with their performance.

"On your feet." He held an identical copy of the book on each of their backs in his hands. "This book contains the prestigious history of Beta Tau Alpha and what it means to be a brother in this fraternity. During this week if you fail to have this book on you or if you cannot answer a question about its contents you're out. It's a privilege to be a pledge of BTA and frankly this is your new best friend. You take care of it and it will take care of you. Keep it with you at all times, read it, learn it, live it. You will stay in this house for the next week, you will answer every request with yes sir and of course since you are the bottom of the food chain around here you will work for food. This is hell week, either you make it or you don't."

**(Winry POV)**

It was preference night, the last night of formal recruitment before the final bid day. Each sorority had two rounds during preference in which they could invite girls. Each girl going through recruitment could end up with eight preference invites or as some found out none at all. But at the end of the day the girls going through could only go to two preference parties. At first Winry was appalled at the idea of a preference "party", she was under the impression (at least from the Kappa Delta girls) that there was more to this than partying. Luckily her rho chi leader Riza had been rather administrative in explaining the details of preference in great detail and length.

So there she was in a dress and heels, a walking contradiction to her usual self. It was rather humbling to sit waiting for the preference invites to be passed out, but now that she held the two she wanted in her hands she had a grander decision to make. Tonight she would face two sororities, experience part of their ritual, experience what it might be like to be their sister. But the only thing on her mind was her mother.

There was no question about it; Kappa Delta was everything she wanted. The girls were down to earth, driven, kind and just being around them made her feel like home. Nervously she fidgeted with the hem of her dress as they sat waiting for the start of the first preference party. She was standing outside Alpha Zetas doors; about to enter a world her mom had once called home, a sisterhood she had once called her own. Choosing Kappa Delta meant turning her back on a living link to her mother, a connection to something she thought had been lost. She could follow in her mother's footsteps, carry out her legacy...that's what she was supposed to do, right?

Before she had a chance to mull over the heart tugging decision in front of her the doors were opened and she was awed into silence. The girls were led into the center of a large circle one after another, the AZ members dressed in black fitted dresses. She stood awkwardly with the other girls as the AZ members began to sing a hauntingly familiar song, a song she remembered. Her throat tightened as the words filtered through her nerves, her mother had sung this song to her when she was a little girl.

Through the dim lighting they turned as a voice claimed the silence that had fallen after the singing stopped. Noa's face was illuminated by the candle in her hands. "Tonight we have invited you to our preference party; we have invited you to join us for a brief glimpse into our sisterhood, into our ritual. While not all of you will become our sisters we still say EVOLENO, EFILENO. We strive for greatness, we don't settle for ordinary, we push for extraordinary."

Winry felt her mind swirl as she tried to figure out just what was going on. So far it was a little overwhelming but she knew it wasn't even close to being over.

One by one each girl passed the candle repeating the same phrase. "Beauty, power, success."

The mantra continued until at last it arrived in Noa's hands once again. Stepping forward she stood in front of each girl, pausing to stare into the eyes of each potential member as she repeated the phrase delivering one word for each girl. "Success." She spoke to Winry, winking slightly before taking a step towards the next girl.

The rest of the ceremony was filled with different blurbs about the power of beauty and the prestige of Alpha Zeta. Before they ushered the group of girls from the room each potential new member was taken aside by a member to talk for one last time. Sure enough Winry found Noa heading her way, lacing her arm through hers.

"Let's have a little chat." She spoke confidently as she walked her over to a deserted corner. "So, are you excited to be an Alpha Zeta?"

Huh? The sororities were not supposed to give out real bids to girls until after both preference parties. "But we don't get our bids until tomorrow morning…"

Noa gave a twittering laugh. "Oh please, don't be so naive. You're a legacy Winry, a sure thing. You don't need to be worried in the least." She frowned at one of the girls nearby, "God her dress is horrid."

Horrid? The dress was a little plain, but it wasn't horrible. Her heart sank, what could her mother have seen in this? For some reason she had thought it would be different. What she had been expecting she couldn't quite say, but it was a far cry from the distant and rather unattached preference she had just witnessed. Nowhere in their singing, speeches and dull smiles did she feel anything close to sisterhood. She had never had sisters but she couldn't imagine it felt like that. She fidgeted nervously, waiting the time when she would finally be free from their penetrating stares.

"Well that girl is definitely not getting a bid." Noa remarked casually, not bothering to make sure she kept her voice down. She turned back to Winry after one last distasteful frown in the girl's direction, "What was I saying?"

She had half a mind to walk out the doors of the building and never come back. Noa wasn't just a mean girl in the sorority; she was the president of Alpha Zeta. Wasn't she supposed to be the role model? It was terribly disappointing to find out that the stereotype was alive and well. At least each round was limited to a half hour, any longer and she felt like she would have whacked the girl over the head with one of her wrenches.

There were only a few more painstaking minutes to endure before she was finally led from the room. Discouraged and disillusioned she tried to keep the soft lull of her mother's voice from invading her thoughts. It didn't matter what sorority her mother had been in, Alpha Zeta was not a place she wanted to be. As she walked towards the room for Kappa Delta's preference Rose snagged her arm.

"So how was it?" She exclaimed, barely able to contain her enthusiasm.

It was like watching a balloon deflate as she recounted her experience. Rose looked mildly confused before her face twitched in suspicion, "How can you talk about them so badly, wasn't your mom an AZ?"

Winry wasn't sure how to answer that, had her mom been just like Noa? Would she have been horrified to see her daughter working on automail, the type of girl who got dirty, the type of girl who thought beauty wasn't everything? She didn't want to believe her mother could be such a harsh critic.

"You're right; I just don't think I get this whole sorority thing yet." She spouted off, not wanting to debate something that was hurting her. The comfort of knowing her mother would be proud of her was fading fast. She was starting to feel as if going through sorority recruitment was one the worst decisions she had ever made.

"Winry, are you alright?" Riza asked abruptly.

The truthful concern in her eyes brought up the emotion that had been lurking around, the overwhelming urge to put as much space between this reality and the initial dream she had started to hold onto. "I can't do it."

The normally stern looking girl sighed softly before patting the seat next to her. Reluctantly Winry sat down, not sure what her rho chi could say that would make her stay.

"I thought the same thing." She smiled in her direction before facing front again. "I like rules, I like constant and fair. I thought sororities were all alike, but the truth is…there is always an exception to every rule. Don't give up just yet."

Winry sighed, already knowing in her mind what she was going to do. Under Riza's watchful eye she knew making a run for it wouldn't do, she had to go to the last round before throwing in the towel. She had gone this far; it would be a shame to walk away now.

Her nerves flared up again as she stood outside the Kappa Delta room, would they prove to be just as disappointing?

When the doors opened she found herself once again awed by the world around her. The girls brought them into their circle, accepting them into their ranks as if they were already one of their sisters. Winry had to admit the president of Kappa Delta was still rather intimidating. Olivia stepped forward, the candle in her hands reminding Winry of AZ, but the comparisons ended as soon as the words began to leave the presidents mouth.

"We ask that you join our sisterhood circle, a place that has no beginning and thus no end. It symbolizes the bonds between our sisters and the never-ending love we share for the one thing that has brought us all together."

Randomly girls began to step forward to speak before stepping back into the circle. She noticed Rebecca as one of the first, the ongoing monologue flowing from one girl to the next.

"I will always be there."

"When you need me."

"If times are hard."

"If times are happy."

"I will help pick you up when you fall."

"I will remind you that you deserve better, that you are good enough."

"KD is where I was meant to be."

"You help me see the good in everything."

"You prove that beauty is most powerful when it comes from within."

"It's showing me how to make a difference."

"It's teaching me how to walk so I can run."

"It's learning that everyone makes mistakes."

"It's learning to forgive."

"It's learning to be brave when I'm scared."

Olivia actually smiled as she finished it off. "But most of all it is learning to take those small steps into our future with our heads held high and the world in our hand and a sisterhood of support on which to stand."

Of course there was singing but Winry didn't feel the haunting familiarity of a voice lost. All she heard was the symphony of sound, a chorus of voices all coming together, singing with a passion of heart for their sisterhood.

When at last Winry thought it was over she saw an older looking member take the candle from the president's hands. Looking a little unsure she clutched at the candle, her eyes looking a little watery. "As a senior I know this will be my last preference, but my journey has seemed so short." Her voice quivered a little as she continued; the candle flickering in her hands softly illuminated the tears trickling down her cheeks. "These girls are the reason I made it through college, Kappa Delta is the reason I found them. But no matter the year I see that I am not the only one moved by what these girls have done and what they will do. I walked in unsure and hesitant, now I leave with confidence in not only myself but the sisterhood I will always carry with me. While I might travel far, I will always hold you near. To you girls new to our circle we want to share with you the courage of heart, the fulfillment of knowledge, and the trusting loyalty of sisterhood. Tonight you make a decision that will forever change your life, I can only say that my decision brought me to Kappa Delta and I have never been happier."

Winry could feel the emotion around the room as girls bit back sobs, the true meaning of their sisterhood staring back at them. That wasn't the thing that had changed her mind, but from that moment on she knew where she wanted to be.

**(Rose POV)**

Sorority recruitment was the best decision she had ever made. The second round of preference was ten times better than the first. Rose chatted animatedly with a girl named Kelly and her twin sister Regina. The three found a common distaste for the rather embarrassingly fake Prada heels one of the girls behind them was sporting.

"Thank god we don't give out bids until preference is over." Regina remarked shamelessly. "I would die if someone like that was wearing our letters."

Rose laughed together with the two of them enjoying the feeling of belonging. She wanted to be an AZ more than ever. Her thoughts drifted back to her roommate, the poor girl was hopeless when it came to this stuff. Good thing she was a legacy, she would at least be guaranteed a bid.

The sense of fitting in made her feel whole again, made the fruitless nights with random guys drift far away. If she was an Alpha Zeta she could feel proud of herself again, she could stop drinking away past mistakes.

Submitting her number one choice to Riza was the easiest thing she had ever done. It blew her mind that Winry was still mulling over her decision.

"You sure about this?" She asked Winry as they walked back to their dorm together.

The blond girl remained silent for a moment before running a hand through her long locks exhaling softly. "Yeah I'm sure."

"You don't think you will regret this? After all your mom _was _an Alpha Zee."

Looking pensive her roommate frowned for a second, "I don't remember a lot about my mom but if being a sister of Alpha Zeta was that important to her, well she would understand why this decision is important to me. Kappa Delta just feels like home to me."

Maybe having her roommate pick a different sorority than her wasn't necessarily a bad thing. She was picking a sorority based on the place she felt like home. Rose was more realistic; she picked the place where she could have fun, the place that would make her college experience one she would never forget. She ignored the voice that reminded her of the events she couldn't forget…this wouldn't be anything like that.

**(Ed POV)**

Wiping his brow he grumbled something about disgusting no good bastards under his breath before plunging his sponge back into the now tinted water in the bucket. The once soapy solution was now an unpleasant shade of grayish brown. Dumping the dirty water down the drain he paused to look at the shiny floors around him, damn he was good.

"Hey pledge!"

Ed grimaced, his muscles feeling fatigue from the long hours of cleaning. His hopes that the brother calling out to him was actually referring to another one of the 20 pledges died fast as he heard his nickname ring loud and clear.

"Fullmetal!"

He gritted his teeth for a second before answering, "Yes sir." He replied knowing any other response would take away the dinner that had been sitting in front of them for hours.

"You can eat now."

Ed looked up at the brother's face, the black glasses giving him an older and sophisticated look that didn't quite match up with the pledge master who was currently shoveling food into his mouth as if he hadn't eaten in years.

While the feast that had been slowly infiltrating the house with its delectable smell had been taunting, he felt himself pause. Weird, he NEVER paused when it came to food, but something about this didn't sit right. He might have hauled ass to finish cleaning the floors, but the other pledges had yet to walk through. As hungry as he was he didn't feel right eating before the other pledges did.

"It can wait. Denny's still cleaning the bathroom isn't he?"

The BTA brother shifted from one foot to the other, his eyes narrowed. "You're going to help him? Why not just eat, you did earn it."

"Yeah well we're supposed to be brothers right? The foods probably already cold anyways, it doesn't really make that much of a difference." He tried to use sarcasm to throw the brother off his trail; he didn't want him to think he was a goody two shoes for wanting to help his pledge brothers out.

"Denny's done, he's actually helping some of the other guys out back."

Ed took one last longing look at the food before heading out back; he didn't go back on his word.

**(Roy POV)**

"Think they're all gonna last?" Roy asked smartly as he laid on the chase lounge watching the pledges prune the bushes and pull weeds. The place had been in bad shape for a while; the last pledge class had been months ago.

"Yes."

Pushing the sunglasses down his nose he watched as two girls walked by on the sidewalk. He admired their figures, quirking a grin as they waved shyly at him before turning to each other giggling madly. Yes this was the life. "What makes you think so?" He asked thoughtfully.

His best friend smiled, "Not one of them fell for it. None of them have eaten."

Of course the real test wasn't to see if they could clean. It was a setup, a test to see if these guys would work together or if they would let their gluttony and greed get the best of them. But if Maes said not one of them fell for it, then this might just get a little more interesting. "I'm assuming Breda has already disposed of what little food there was." He added sarcastically.

Maes adjusted his glasses on his face looking a little upset at the prospect of having to find food. "Looks like we are going to have to fend for ourselves, Gracia is busy with recruitment I can't ask her to cook us anything else."

Roy knew better than to comment on the subject of Gracia, he had learned freshman year that even speaking her name could prompt him into hours of devout worshipping of his divine Gracia. She was a great girl, he had no problem with his best friend dating her…he just didn't want to hear the mushy details of every waking moment in their lives.

"Get Breda, I think it's time for garbage disposal."

Maes made a face before laughing, "I remember making you do that."

Stepping out into the back yard Roy grinned widely, the place was immaculate. Looking around he found the pledges relaxing in the shade, exhaustion clearly written on their faces. He almost felt sympathetic, but he remembered his hell week and this was an even milder version than his. The sky was already turning dark as he looked around the grounds.

"Congrats pledges…you all just made it through day one of hell week."

A few of the pledges rubbed their temples while others looked on weakly. "Now we did promise you could earn your stay and you certainly have. So on behalf of the brothers we would like to invite you to what we during hell week like to call garbage disposal."

Roy glanced out of the corner of his eye at the pledge with long blond hair, not missing the calculating look. He was definitely someone to keep an eye out for, he wasn't about to let some punk join the organization he had worked hard to help build up.

Breda walked out, obviously still nursing a full stomach. "Good, we need to clean out the fridge."

Glancing at his watch Roy smirked at the 20 confused looking pledges. "You have two hours to dispose of everything in the fridge, only there's one catch…"

Maes shook his head, a pitying look on his face. "You have to try everything at least once before throwing it out."

One of the newest members who had been watching the whole thing stepped forward to pat a pledge on the back, "Don't worry the boys haven't stocked that fridge in a month…though I can't imagine they threw out anything since then either."

The pledges turned a little paler as they stared uncertainly at each other.

Roy checked his watch again, "You have till 9pm."

**(Kain POV)**

"Mmm...don't stop."

Kain watched as Noa withered under him, her eyes shut in pleasure. The sight was usually something he enjoyed, but today was a different story. When it was over he didn't bother pretending to cuddle before he began to pull his pants back on.

"Where are you going?" She asked in a sickening sweet voice.

She was too easy; it was getting boring and rather predictable. "I got business."

Her eyes narrowed a little, the pale skin wrinkling around her brow. "At 1am?"

This was the reason he liked freshman girls, they didn't ask questions. His thoughts strayed back to the feisty brown haired girl with pink streaks in her hair. The resemblance between her and Noa was startling, but it seemed like a calling card at the moment. She didn't call, she didn't whine and she certainly hadn't asked questions as annoying as this one.

Pulling a shirt over his head he wasn't at all shy about speaking his mind. "Listen Noa, it's been fun but l don't do this whole relationship thing."

He almost regretted his words at the splash of anger on her face, it made him wish he could have squeezed in one more time before calling it a night. Anger had a way of making girls appear sexier.

"Are you kidding me? We've been going out for a year and you say this now?"

Had it really been a year? It was hard to imagine he had ever committed to her, especially when he thought of all the signatures on his wall back at the Delta Tau house. Not to mention the fact that nearly half the signatures on his wall alone were from the very girls she called sisters. He finished slipping on his shoes and began to walk out of her room.

"What are you doing?" She hissed loudly at him as he opened the door to the hallway.

"Leaving." He offered simply.

Her eyes flashed, "You can't dump me!"

Kain had a good laugh at that one. "I just did."

The walk home was rather pleasant, his thoughts flashed back to the girl with pink streaks in her hair. She had signed her name as Rose but the girl was so drunk he couldn't be sure she even remembered her name at that point. He whistled at some of the Alpha Zeta girls walking down the street immediately warming to the short skirts and coy looks on their faces.

He couldn't help himself, "What are you ladies doing out so late?"

As they approached he couldn't control the immediate lust that surged through him, twins? He had been cooped up with Noa for too long, how had he let a set of twins escape his sight?

"Just finished getting our bid day stuff together."

Kain smiled; of course bid day was the next day. Aside from welcome week, bid day was his favorite part of college. All the new freshman girls joining sororities; so eager to impress. Good thing he had left the planning of the annual bid day party in Ling's hands. It was tradition that the DT men hosted a welcoming bash for all the new members of AZ.

"Any new girls I might know?" He mused thoughtfully.

One of the twins handed him the stack of photos, making it easy for him to imagine what the next night might have in store. His hand paused on one picture, his grin widening. This was too good. Staring back at him from the photo was the very girl he had been imagining. "Looks like this year is going to be your best yet."

* * *

**Next chapter:** Hell Week part 2

Will Ed make it through the week or will he quit halfway through? What trouble lurks behind the doors of Delta Tau...


	5. Hell Week: Part Two

**Chapter 5: Hell Week Part Two**

**(Ed POV)**

"You look terrible."

Edward slid his palm down his face, staring at Winry through half closed eyes. "I don't ever want to look at food again."

Winry stared at the experiment in front of them, "Come on 'garbage disposal' we need to finish our lab."

"Ugh." He moaned as his stomach churned. "How did you know about that?"

The young girl pushed her ponytail over her shoulder, "Word travels fast, apparently in the Greek world there are no secrets." Her eyes twinkled with jest. "Actually…" She laughed sympathetically, "Havoc warned me this morning to wear something I wouldn't mind getting puked on." Her nose wrinkled up at the thought. "You're not going to puke are you?"

He felt a little perturbed by this, taking a moment before opening his eyes fully to look her straight on. "You talk to Havoc?" A jealous twinge put off his churning stomach for the moment. Since when did Winry talk with Havoc? The guy didn't talk to girls with the intention of just being friends.

Her gaze shifted away from him; making his breath halt…this didn't look good.

"Ok, so that wasn't entirely why he came to talk to me…"

His stomach flipped again not so pleasantly, an image of the moldy banana flashed through his head. Taking a slow and steady breath he tried not to remember the taste or the smell. "Tell me you are not going out on a date with Jean." He barked out in disbelief.

Her face turned red, "No!" Frowning she grabbed his arm making his own cheeks flush. "Why didn't you tell me you needed a mechanic?" She asked looking hurt.

Of all the things to come out of her mouth he had not been expecting that. His arm had been giving him trouble lately, but what could she do to help?

"You're such an idiot." She muttered looking sternly at his metal appendage as she pulled up his sleeve. "You do know that my grandma is the number one automail mechanic around, right?"

Rockbell…he swallowed nervously, "Pinako Rockbell is _your_ grandmother?" The woman's reputation preceded her in many ways, none of which appealed to him at the moment.

Her narrowed blue eyes obviously caught the hint of fear in his voice, "What's with the tone?"

"Look I appreciate the suggestion but with this whole Hell week thing and class I don't think a trip to Resembool is a good idea." He wouldn't mention the other reasons why visiting Resembool didn't appeal to him.

"It's nice to know you listened to me, I'm an automail mechanic Ed. I've grown up working with automail my whole life. And-" She paused for a brief second giving his arm a quick look, "It looks like you need a mechanic."

He wasn't about to admit that having a beautiful girl as his mechanic was a dream so he managed to change the subject as quickly as possible. "And what's in it for you?"

"I don't work for free Ed. Besides, your brother is worried about you." She added looked concerned herself.

What the hell? How did she know he had a kid brother? "How did you know I have a brother?"

Her mouth quirked up to the side, "Havoc was worried about you…isn't he your fraternity brother?"

Right, it was impossible for her to know about Al. That was one subject he didn't bring to the table. "Yeah well he's not my brother yet; I still have to make it through hell week."

Winry poured the contents of the solution into their beaker. "Hell week huh?"

"Whoa!" Ed caught her wrist before she could pour the second solution in. His gaze shifted from the experiment to her blue eyes as she took in a subtle breath of surprise. "Sorry, you can't mix that in just yet."

Her mouth opened slightly, "Oh…thanks. Uh…" She glanced down at his hand which was currently still holding her wrist.

"Right." He pulled away, all thoughts of hell week and his brother left in the dust.

"Guess I should be paying more attention to what I'm doing." Winry blushed apologetically.

"Yeah." Ed watched as she turned to put the right solution in. With hell week on his mind he had forgotten a certain night, one in which nothing happened…but he kind of wished it had.

"So…about that arm of yours." Winry asked hesitantly, "You still looking for a mechanic?"

Ed shrugged off any thought of Winry in any other way but as a friend. "If you're up for it."

He liked the way she smiled, "Ok, but on one condition." Her eyes sparkled, "You finish this lab before I blow something up."

Laughing he grinned at her, "Deal."

Maybe just being friends would be a good start, how hard could 'just friends' be anyways?

**(Winry POV)**

"Ok dish." Rose plopped down on their dorm room floor a magazine opened in front of her.

Winry snapped out of her daze, pushing her drawings to the side. "What?"

"So I know you get a kick out of designing automail and working on cars but this is just weird."

"How is this weird?" Her roommate could be highly judgmental sometimes.

Her left eyebrow rose up slightly, "Believe me I know that look, I just can't believe you're wasting the 'I'm crushing hard' look on some automail designs…so dish. Who are these for?"

Ok so maybe she had been spending an awful lot of time on the designs, but she just wanted to make sure he realized what a good mechanic she was. She had to be his lab partner for the rest of the year; it was just good policy and good business to make his the best.

Yeah that was exactly why she was spending so much time on it.

"It's already too late." Rose pouted shaking her head. "So, who is it?"

Winry sighed leaning back in her chair, "I don't crush on guys. I mean we have bid day tonight, I'm about to join a sorority, I have chemistry homework, a medical career to think about and I need to work on this automail for Ed. I just don't have time to be crushing."

"I knew it!" Rose jumped to her feet, her expression smug. "I knew you liked Edward Elric!"

How was Rose so perceptive? "Look at the time! We need to get ready for bid day so…what are you wearing?"

"Funny Win, but you can't fool me with fashion diversions. Spill it." She insisted impatiently.

Chewing on her bottom lip Winry stared back at her automail design. "We're just lab partners."

"Lab partners huh? When you're ready to admit your feelings you know who to talk to." She smiled brightly.

Weird, for the rocky start she and her roommate had, Rose knew exactly what to say. Just having someone to talk to, even if she wasn't sure what she would say was kind of nice. "I'll remember that, but really what should I wear?"

Rose beamed, "I thought you'd never ask!"

**(Riza POV)**

Riza watched as Winry signed her bid for Kappa Delta, her usual patience running thin. The past month had been very challenging in ways she never imagined. Taking on a position as rho chi meant she had to give up her letters for one month in order to lead groups of potential new members through recruitment. At first it had seemed like no big deal, but not talking to her sisters had been pretty hard on her. The girls in her group had begged and pleaded with her to tell them which sorority was hers but she was committed to stick it out through the end. But as she watched her favorite of the group sign a bid to her sorority she felt certain she was about to break the rules.

Anyone who really knew her would have picked up on it immediately, but she was confident that the subtle way she smiled at Winry wouldn't give it away. She was a little surprised that her rho chi baby hadn't gone to Alpha Zeta, but happy no less. As soon as Winry had pushed away the AZ bid card and signed her sorority's card she found it very hard to not lose face. But in less than a few minutes they would all walk to the football field where bid day would officially start.

The process was relatively easy to understand, but actually experiencing it was a whole different thing. Each sorority would line up along the football field as all the potential new members lined up along the track. Either grouped by themselves or with one or two other girls who had also joined the same sorority the rho chi's lined them up to join their sisters at last.

A strange kind of lump began to form at the back of her throat as she watched the girls she had taken under her wing line up. As per tradition the girls either by themselves or in the small groups would step forward, state their name and proudly declare what sorority they had chosen. Obviously they could only chose a sorority that had extended them a bid, but sometimes girls received more than one bid. It was nostalgic to watch her sorority sisters waiting anxiously to see if the bids they sent out were accepted.

As a rho chi she already knew that at least five of their bids had been turned down, but the 25 that had accepted were a blessing in disguise. She was admittedly not too happy about her chapter giving out a bid to a few girls she found to be rather questionable. Nothing personal, but she wasn't so sure girls like Rose really held their values close to their heart. They read Alpha Zeta from the minute Riza laid eyes on them; she wondered how her sisters couldn't see it? Despite her reluctance to stereotype sororities it was no secret that an Alpha Zee is as easy as 1, 2, 3.

But this wasn't just any bid day; this was the day she got to return home. Being a rho chi meant she had to separate herself from her sisters since the beginning of the year. In order to not pass on a bias to the girls under her wing they had to give up their letters for two months, but now as soon as every girl who accepted a bid was welcomed to their new homes, she would be welcomed back. She wasn't much for displaying emotion but there was no holding back the wet trails that ran down her cheeks.

**(Roy POV)**

"Hey Elric, give me the founders." Roy barked off lazily as he caught the pledge walking past the living room.

Halting in his tracks the younger man looked over his shoulder. "Wilson, Bartlet, Armstrong and Thompson."

Smartass…but he knew how to deal with guys like him. "Looks like you just signed yourself up for the skinny run."

"What? The skinny run? I just named all four!" He exclaimed, the cool demeanor slipping from his face.

Oh this was too good. The other pledges he had asked today hadn't been able to name more than two but this Elric kid had come so damn close. Too bad, so sad. "If you had really read your pledge book you would have known that no pledge is allowed to address a founder by just their last name. Sorry shorty looks like you're going to be joining your pledge brothers tonight." He must have already heard what the skinny run was because his face had gone awfully pale.

His mouth twitched like he was going to fire back, but he seemed to think better of it. Being the president of BTA had its benefits; watching pledges bite back their remarks was most assuredly one of them.

"You're evil." Hughes commented under his breath.

"The devil himself." He replied back easily.

Hughes flopped down next to him on the couch, resting his feet on the coffee table. "I have to admit Elric has been one tough egg to crack. I tried everything from section five of our bylaws to the number of members the original chapter had. How the hell did you stump him on the founders?" He asked adjusting the black frame of his glasses as he looked at the TV.

Roy knew the other pledges had all failed at some point to answer correctly a question a brother had asked of them. Elric just happened to be the only one left who hadn't struck out. "I did the kid a favor, now he can join his pledge brothers in a great bonding activity."

Hughes scoffed, "Yes, I'm sure he will thank you later for making him run naked to the KD house and back."

"If he doesn't thank me, the girls should."

The two enjoyed a good laugh before getting lost in the rest of the football game on TV. The day was not a complete sham; in fact with Breda's new addition to the skinny run he was feeling very smug. The boys were in for a little surprise this year.

After a good football game and his favorite meal prepared by one promising pledge he was feeling ready for the days challenge to finally start. He sat like a king to a throne on the opened tailgate of Havocs truck, watching as Breda prepared the pledges for the skinny run.

"You have ten minutes to run to the KD house and back." Breda jabbed a thumb over his shoulder eluding towards their running path.

A pledge Roy recognized as Denny looked way too relieved at the relatively modest time given for the distance. But he would savor the look that came next as Breda finished explaining the new additions to the skinny run.

"Not only do you have to run naked to the KD house and back but you need to tie one of these ties to the second floor balcony."

They would definitely thank him later; though he probably should have warned Riza that the boys would be stopping by to drop off their ties…and that a good portion of them would be naked. The usual tie affair happened after every bid day, each Kappa Delta girl would pick one of the ties hanging from the balcony and that would be their date for the night. But it was time they spiced things up a bit, he would make sure no one forgot the year he was president.

Standing up Roy smirked down at the pledges, "You heard the man your ten minutes start…" He glanced at the time on his phone. "…NOW!"

**(Winry POV)**

Winry leaned up against one of the couches in the living room of the Kappa Delta house, her mouth hurting from smiling so much. When her rho chi leader Riza had run towards the rest of her new KD sisters she had known instantly that it was the right decision. As the girls continued to talk around the room she happily turned when Gracia sat down next to her.

The girl practically tackled her to the ground when she had shouted her choice on bid day.

Gracia beamed down at her, "You have no idea how happy I was when you said KD, I thought for sure you were going to choose Alpha Zeta."

"It was my mom's sorority, but that's just it…it was hers, not mine."

"Have you talked to her about it?" Gracia asked.

Winry bit the inside of her cheek, ignoring the hollow feeling in her stomach. "No I haven't had the chance." She didn't want to pull that particular skeleton out of the closest, at least not on a day that was supposed to be happy.

"Don't sweat it, my mom wasn't too thrilled I decided to join a sorority, but when I showed her all the good things we do she got over it." Gracia tried to ease her worries.

A loud scream dragged everyone from their conversations as Rebecca stumbled backwards from the window, her eyes wide.

Olivia, looking as intimidating as always strode over quickly, no sign of fear for the unknown. Rebecca pointed a shaky finger towards what looked like moving objects out in the dimly lit front yard. "Someone's out there."

"Should I call 911?" Gracia asked her hands already on her phone.

"No." Olivia frowned, her eyes narrowed. "We'll deal with this ourselves."

Winry followed Riza out the door her hand flying to her mouth as she noticed several naked males jumping down from their balcony. Her eyes missed the ties hanging from the railing; instead she caught sight of a familiar face, one that was just as surprised to see her as she was him.

"Edward?"

**(Ed POV)**

It would be the icing on the cake to find himself naked in front of not only a house full of sorority girls, but one girl in particular. His mouth hung open like a fish out of water. Even in the dark he knew she recognized him, even parts of him he had never introduced. The blush didn't have time to work itself up on his face before he felt someone shove against his back.

"Come on man, we have two minutes left!" Aaron a fellow pledge bellowed.

Ed forced his embarrassment down and turned to run. If he didn't make it on time then the whole thing was pointless. He would have to do some explaining in chem lab the next morning…great.

Panting heavily he tried his best to cover himself up as he stood amongst the rest of the pledges looking around desperately for their clothes. Of course this had something to do with that bastard of a president.

Roy was watching them from the front porch an heir of amusement surrounding him and a couple of the older brothers that happened to be outside. "Looks like you have all completed the skinny run, and with flying colors!" He glanced at his watch, "Though you'll have to thank Trevor over there for coming in one minute over the time limit. Brothers stick together, so you all have 50 pushups."

Ed growled under his breath, "At least give us our clothes back."

A few other pledges murmured their agreement, several faces turning over their shoulder in expectation of a group of angry sorority girls. The girls did not seem too thrilled to have naked men trespassing on their property.

Breda appeared out of nowhere a sandwich clutched in his hand, a few bites already taken out of it. "For interrupting my dinner make it 100 pushups, you'll get your clothes back as soon as you do."

Wanting to get the humiliation over with as soon as possible Ed dropped to his hands and began counting them off. There was three more days of hell week, he was almost there. He had never been a quitter and he wasn't about to start now.

**(Noa POV)**

Noa folded her arms across her chest as she checked the time on her phone for what felt like the hundredth time. She did not have the patience for this. "I said 11pm." She remarked distastefully as the last girl joined them, her face slightly red as if she had just run a marathon. "Nice of you to join us Tara." She let the sarcasm drip from her voice. "You can leave now."

The pledge looked up at her, her expression almost pleading in its disbelief but Noa didn't have time for girls like that.

"Please, you told me I had to change my outfit and my dorm is at least 3 miles from here." She practically begged.

The girl was boarder line size 9; this was really no place for her. She was planning on cutting off the riff raff sooner or later. Sometimes legacies slipped through, but she would make sure this girl never wore their letters. "I'm sorry are you deaf? I said you can leave." Noa finished, daring the girl to question her decision.

"I…I…" The girl stumbled to say something but she never did talk back. Noa was sure she heard the sound of sobs as the girl fled the house.

Feeling satisfied for the moment she turned her attention back on the rest of the pledges. Walking up and down she scrutinized them with her eyes. "Wearing our letters is a privilege. We don't want just _anyone _to be an Alpha Zee. Elise it's called a bra, if we wanted to see a show we'd go to the strip club." She could not believe how helpless some of these girls were, good thing they had her to guide them. "Stacy, flat shoes are for those of us who aren't short. Next time try heels, your legs look stumpy in those flats."

She continued to correct the girls until at last she hit the brown haired girl with pink streaks in her hair. Normally she would have detested that particular shade of color for a highlight, but it seemed to work. The shiny sparkle of a Tiffany's bracelet caught her eye; finally they had scored a winner. "Nice accessory Rose." Turning back to the group as a whole she smiled widely, the smile feeling almost foreign to her face. "Tonight is the night we introduce you to the brothers of Delta Tau. It is incredibly important that you uphold our name, appearance is everything. I expect you all to wow our boys." She shared her smile with the active members of Alpha Zee. It was just a fact that the members of AZ were always the best looking, and they planned on keeping it that way.

"We'll be keeping tabs." The new member mom Kelli snickered, her twin smirking at her side.

As they approached the DT house she noticed the party was already underway. Looking around she caught sight of just the man she was looking for. She latched herself onto the tall, dark haired man her mouth parting slightly as she shot him the look that left most boys more than a little "excited". It felt wonderful to feel so many jealous pairs of eyes on them as he let his hand slide down her back, resting on her bottom.

"What are you girls waiting for?" She added impatiently as the pledges watched on in awe. She liked being envied, but she was rather hoping for some time with Kane. After their little argument she had gone over to apologize and he had taken her back. Lately it seemed like he was avoiding her, but she knew that it was just her imagination. No guy avoided her.

"What do you say we skip the party?" She whispered seductively into his ear.

Using his free hand to finish off the last of the beer in his solo cup he looked back at the keg on the back porch. "Later babe, why don't you make yourself useful and go grab me another beer?"

She pushed aside the feeling of rejection, he just wanted to party a little that's all. Fixing the smile on her face she kissed him deeply before leaving his side to fill up his cup. Spying one of the pledges around the corner she thrust the cup into their hand. "Fill this."

The pledge looked a little scared but followed her orders dutifully. Noa smoothed out her skin tight skirt, pushing her hair behind one ear, Kane was her boyfriend, she was the president of Alpha Zee; this was the good life.

Jerking the full cup form the pledges hand she muttered thanks before trying to find Kane. The man shouldn't be that hard to find, but in the midst of the increasing mob she found herself being jerked and pushed around. Absolutely not, she was not just one of the crowd. She knew how to get a man's attention; she just needed a little help in order to ensure that Kane found her. Luckily she spotted her favorite pledge walking by, this was too easy. Plucking her out of the crowd Noa pulled on Rose's hand. "Come on let's get this party started."

**(Rose POV)**

Rose took another shot of tequila, she was having a blast. Her whole life she had been stuck inside a little box, but with the world at her fingertips she wasn't about to hold back. So she had run into some trouble earlier, now she was with her sisters. Not only that but it seemed like the President was taking a shine to her, she couldn't imagine a better night. She had been surprised to find Noa wasn't attached to her boyfriend but she had told her that she would rather spend the night with her sisters. Just being around Noa made her see what an incredible role model she was, this girl had everything.

"Take your shirt off!" One of the bigger guys yelled over the roar of the music.

Rose glanced at Noa who was already stripped down to her undergarments, her body positioned across the other half of the DT bar inside the house.

"Remember what I said Rose." Noa called over her shoulder. "It's just a body shot."

One of the DT brothers placed a full shot glass between her legs before placing a trail of salt up her torso followed by the lime in her mouth. Noa took the lime out of her mouth for a second, winking in Rose's direction. "Watch and learn."

A very willing guy bent over her using his mouth to pull the shot from between her legs before tossing his head back to down the liquor. From there she watched as he grinned widely, licking the trail of salt up before grasping her face between his two large hands while he sucked away at the lime in her mouth.

Once he was done he let out a Neanderthal like whoop before the crowd roared with him.

"Your turn." Noa reminded her as she slipped her skirt back on.

Good thing she had already taken a few shots or she would have probably been shaking like a leaf. It began to blur together, one event melting into the next as she watched him lick up her stomach and force himself against her mouth. A stagnant fear began to bubble up within her as his hands held her down. Her breathing returned to normal as he followed the previous guy's precedent, letting her go to throw his hands up in the air, welcoming the oncoming cheers.

Feeling a little less gung-ho about the whole thing she put her shirt and pants back on, ignoring the worthless feeling in the pit of her stomach. This wasn't the same, this wasn't…her eyes widened as she saw Noa's boyfriend weave through the crowd and forcefully pull her from the bar. Before he angrily walked away with her over his shoulder Rose felt her limbs begin to quiver.

How had she not noticed?

She should have recognized that cocky grin, her eyes traveled around, it was even the same house. Suddenly that night was much closer than it had been before; suddenly she realized what it all meant. Oh god... she had slept with Noa's boyfriend.

**(Ed POV)**

"I heard about what you had to do." Winry looked like she was trying be sympathetic, but he could see the humor lurking behind her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah laugh it up." He gritted his teeth, "That bastard is definitely going down."

"What was the point in you guys tying your ties to our balcony?"

He noticed she left out the whole being naked part. "What color tie did you pick?"

"Does it matter?"

Ed adjusted his books in his arms as they continued to walk back to their dorm. "Whichever tie you picked, that's your date for this annual BTA and KD date night. Tell me what color you picked and I'll tell you if it matters." He added.

She avoided his gaze, "I picked the red one."

"The red one…" His stomach flopped, "but I put up a red tie." He mulled it over, still not making the connection until he watched her face turn a few shades darker.

She let out a long drawn out sigh of relief, "Good, at least I don't have to actually go on a date with one of your brothers. No offense" she added hastily.

He didn't have time to be offended, he was thinking about a little thing called fate and how all the roads in his life lately had been leading up to her. He decided the lack of sleep was not doing him any favors; he needed to get a grip on reality. At least he wouldn't have to go on a blind date, going with Winry actually sounded like fun.

As they parted ways to go up to their respective dorm floors she caught him.

"Hey Ed?"

"Yeah?" Why was she looking at him like that?

"I wouldn't run naked around the KD house anymore."

"Whys that?" He joked.

She shook her head grinning from ear to ear, "You've never met Riza or Olivia have you?"

He had heard Hughes nagging Roy about a girl named Riza a few times. "What does that have to do with your sorority house?"

Winry laughed again, "Just trust me Ed, no more shenanigans at my sorority house?"

Promising not to pull off any shenanigans at her house was not one he could make, especially not with two more days left of hell week. "I'll try."

* * *

**Next Chapter: Date Night**

A/N: I know Noa is very OC but she's not as evil as she seems...


	6. Date Night

**Chapter 6: Date Night**

**(Hughes POV)**

Date night, a tradition and one hell of a good idea. He remembered his first Date Night and the one Kappa Delta that kept the memory alive for him. Not that he would admit it to his brothers, but he thought the tradition was a good luck charm. Ever since Gracia had pulled his tie, while he was still a measly pledge, they had been inseparable. A little bit of fate and some long and happy years later, here he was. Funny that it had been that morning that he had stumbled upon a particular item, not on their anniversary of being together, but the anniversary of their first date.

He would have liked to say that he had planned on it from the start, but it just sort of happened. One minute he was walking down the street and the next he was staring through a glass showcase, pointing at one month's worth of salary. From the moment he had met Gracia he had known that she was the one to ruin all others, but marriage had seemed so far away...graduating college had seemed so far away. But here he was, at the threshold of his final year holding a ring in his hand.

Pacing the empty study his head jerked up at the sound of an approach.

"Never figured I'd find you in the study…not studying." Roy smirked.

The box felt heavy in his pocket, the actual ring weighing down his hand as if it were a thousand times its original mass. It was a big step, but after pacing for several hours he realized one thing. Why not? He loved her, he wanted to marry her, they were both graduating…wasn't that reason enough?

Shrugging off his nerves of finally saying it aloud he stopped his pacing. It felt nice to get it off his chest. "I bought it."

Looking intrigued his buddy grinned, "What did you buy?"

Words failed to convey the step he had just taken, the leap of faith he was now betting on. Opening his palm he held out the offending object for Mustang to see.

Dark eyes widened considerably. "I hope you're not purposing to me Maes." His cocky grin flashed snidely.

As usual his friend's remarks went right over his head as he laughed at the thought. "I'm going to ask Gracia to marry me tonight."

Roy let out a low whistle, his hand scratching absently at the back of his head, "You sure about this?"

"Spending the rest of my life with Gracia?" He smiled, even if he was a little uncertain of her answer. "That's never been a question."

Roy clapped him on the back, shaking his head in sympathy. "So long old pal, it's been nice knowing you."

This was more like the reaction he was expecting. Everyone seemed so convinced that marrying right out of college was cliché. But he wasn't just any guy and she certainly wasn't an average girl. He was ready to settle down, ready to leave school and enter the real world. Some of his brothers just weren't there yet, though he had a suspicion that Roy was much closer than he thought.

"Maybe it's time you stopped running around and settle down with Hawkeye." He couldn't help but make a jab at that particular weak spot. The two had been good friends longer than he and Mustang had, it was clear to anyone with common sense what was going on.

The silence loomed for a moment before an answer came. "Nah, I'm not the marrying type."

"Have you ever been married?" He replied with a smart aleck grin.

"Never and I don't plan on it." His tone implicated that Maes shouldn't push it, but he wouldn't take no for an answer.

"If you've never been married than how can you know if it's your type of not?"

A loud crash and a scream were followed by the sounds of feet padding down the hallway. Peering out the door both Maes and Roy caught a glimpse of a pledge shrieking as he bolted down the corridor, his hands clutched firmly over his butt.

After indulging in a good laugh he knew this had something to do with Roy, these things always did. "Are you going to explain or do I even need to ask?"

His brother looked distinctly pleased. "I told the pledges yesterday to clean the downstairs bathroom again, just to see if they would."

Roy probably shouldn't have run for president, he still acted like he was the pledge master. "Mind telling me what this has to do with Aaron screaming like a girl?"

The look of unquestioned calm gave him away. "I figured they wouldn't do what I asked, but I believe he's learned his lesson."

"And?" He knew there was more.

"I put Icy hot on the toilet seats, if he had cleaned it again his ass wouldn't be burning." He laughed again before his eyes lit up, "And to answer your question as to why I'm not the marrying type?" He laughed again but Maes could have sworn it didn't echo quite as loud as before. "Because if I married Riza I would actually have to grow up." His expression quickly switched back to its usual cool, "Well I should go talk with Breda, looks like we have a new name for Aaron." With a quick nod of his head he left the study following in the direction of Aarons embarrassing squeals at this point. "Hey Icy Hot, wait up!"

But it wasn't the nickname that had put a smug smile on his face; Roy had specifically mentioned Riza. He wasn't worried about the lack of enthusiasm; he would find a way to get those two together it was just a matter of when.

**(Riza POV)**

"I swear he rigs this thing."

Olivia raised an eyebrow in her direction, "And yet you still go."

The fellow blond clipped her hair back up, the tone catching her off guard. "He's not so bad." She admitted.

"I hate to be a hard ass but as your sister I'm going to tell you what I think. I think it's stupid of you to keep waiting for someone who won't come. He's obviously still your friend, but if you keep things the way they are that's all you're ever going to be…just a friend." There was a reason Olivia was the best president Kappa Delta had ever seen. Her talent for brutal honesty integrated with a firm sense of right and a clear platform of loyalty made her untouchable.

Riza felt the familiar wave of guilt settle over her, she wasn't a liar but holding back the truth felt just as bad. Things would be so much different if her father wasn't a professor, if he wasn't Roy's professor. If word got out what had happened the past summer, if anyone knew what had been happening…she had no doubts her father would fail Roy, which in turn would mean the loss of his scholarship.

It was infuriating for her to keep the distance between them when they had finally decided to close the gap. Her relationship with her father was something that had been deteriorating along with his health. The man was never there, but his persistence that she take over his research had driven him to be overprotective of any man seeking to pull her attentions elsewhere.

This would be the first time they could go out in public together as something more than friends, she thought sadly. She knew they would have to pretend otherwise.

"You're acting strange, what has he done now?" Olivia asked shrewdly her eyes dangerous. The girl would easily take down any guy who hurt a sister.

"Things have really changed since we were freshman; he's not the guy you think he is."

"So what kind of guy is he?" Her face softened for a second, "If he can't see what he has in front of him, than I still maintain he's a complete idiot."

Riza smiled at her attempt at encouragement, but she wasn't comfortable with where this was headed. Changing the subject she tried an easier route for conversation, "Still unsure about picking Winry as one of our pledges?"

Olivia tapped the desk in front of her lightly her gaze thoughtful. "I guess I should have told you, I think I want to take her as my little sister."

Every pledge was matched with an older member as their big sister, it was a huge deal. But this was shocking news, Olivia in all her years had never taken a little sister. Riza felt something inside sink slightly at the news, she never thought that someone else would want Winry as their little sister; not after Gracia had let most of the girls know her heart was set on taking Winry as her little.

"Oh." The small noise went perfectly with the defeated crushing inside. What Olivia wanted, she got.

Oblivious to the unsettled look on her sisters face Olivia continued on. "That girl has future president written all over her, just like you did when you came in. Besides my great great grandmother helped start this sorority I need to take a little sister, it would be a shame to let this family line die." She admitted more to herself than to Riza.

One thing she did not miss about going rho chi, the perpetual drama. How was she going to tell Gracia Olivia wanted Winry as her little? It was going to break her heart. Not only that but she could clearly feel the way Olivia felt; Winry was a great girl and was certainly going to be an asset to the sorority. As for the mention of president, she wasn't sure exactly how she felt about that. Olivia was a senior and couldn't run for president again so they did need a candidate. On paper she was probably the best choice, the current Vice President, a junior, but was _she_ ready to be president? Feeling a little overwhelmed she mentioned something useless as an excuse to leave; she needed to sort some things out. There really was only one person she could count on to back her up on stuff like this, she wished it was one of her sisters but she shouldn't have been surprised to find that it was someone she had been thinking about a lot as of recent.

Her troubled thoughts brought her up short as she found herself knocking on the BTA front door. How the hell did she end up here? Oh right, she knew why.

Halfway posed to knock again her hand halted when one of the brothers answered the door. It was hard to push away the image of her first encounter with this boy, she recognized him as one of the pledges who had nakedly trespassed the other day. The boy had very unusual golden eyes, she wondered if he was any relation to Van Hohenheim. She had seen the man at several University benefit dinners with her father. But now was not the time to figure out if her suspicions were correct, "Is Roy home?" she asked pointedly.

His face split into a grin, as if Christmas had come early. "Oh yeah, hold on a sec." Leaning back over his shoulder he shouted loud enough she thought her ears were ringing. "MUSTANG YOUR GIRLFRIEND IS HERE!"

"He should be done in a few seconds." The boy answered smartly before stepping aside to let her in.

"Very funny Fullmetal, I don't have a girl…" His voice trailed off as he caught sight of her standing in the front hallway. His gaze turned back to Ed. "Aren't you supposed to be getting your arm fixed by _your _girlfriend? Or would you like me to call your old mechanic; I heard Mr. Garfield misses your patronage very much."

Riza wasn't sure exactly what his response was as he turned away reluctantly, a snarl on his mouth but she could have sworn she heard a bastard or two. Speaking when the pledge slammed the door firmly behind him she shook her head. "Still terrorizing the pledges Mr. Prez?"

Roy responded with an unabashed smile, "Only some of the time, I occasionally make fun of our older members. Keeps them in check ya know?"

She thought of a few good reasons why that idea was probably not the best, but she wasn't about to explain. Just being around him made her realize how much she missed him when they were apart. "Can we go someplace a little more private?" She asked, thinking of all the troubles on her mind. They really weren't the kind of things she wanted spread around, especially not when Gracia's boyfriend could be just around the corner, he couldn't keep a secret from Gracia.

His eyebrows rose slightly but he started walking inside, motioning her to follow. "Come on."

He led her up the flight of stairs to his room, his hand brushing up against hers along the way. The lock had barely clicked into place before she was up against the wall, his mouth pressed to hers. It was hard to protest when her own hands were pinning him against her. "I've missed you." He spoke huskily before letting his mouth began to trail down her neck. It took a moment but she managed to take a long enough breath to make him stop. "Wait." She panted; the place where his mouth traveled heated and blushed.

His face tilted up again to look her dead in the eyes, "I don't want to wait anymore." The deep sense of longing took her under, threatening to take this somewhere she couldn't follow.

"I need to talk to you." She managed to choke out in a shuddering breath.

His eyes closed and when they opened she saw the fresh wound building beneath. "Nothing good can come from talking." He muttered briefly before taking a step back and flopping on his bed. He patted the spot next to him, "Talk to me." He prompted her, looking as if he had swallowed something sour.

He might not want to talk, but she had been friends long enough to know he would do as she asked. The once irritated look was now softening to concern; he had changed so much since freshman year. A lot could happen in a few years and between them it showed; everything was different now. Yet through it all he was a constant in her life and even his flirtatious and sometimes irritating behavior didn't bother her. For the first time she knew that that was the only way she would have it. But having to hide the new development between them had taken some careful steps and it was weighing her down.

"I want to tell them. I hate hiding like this." She looked at her feet feeling the mattress shift as Roy scooted closer.

Putting his hands behind his head he laid on his back. "Then let's not hide it." He answered as simply as if she had asked him what color the sky was.

He was exasperating all right. "You know why we can't do that."

"No." His dark features drew together apologetically, "I know why I can't do that and I don't care. Let your dad fail me." Jerking to his feet he began to walk the length of the room, a fury building behind his stormy gaze. "Let them take away my scholarship, I don't need it."

It was hard to not think about his foster mom and how hard he had worked to make it this far. "How are you going to pay for school? You've worked too hard to keep this scholarship to just throw it away."

This wasn't why she had come, but it was impossible to hold it all back. "You can't throw away all of that just for this."

"Is that what you think? You think this is just something I can just throw away? Dammit Riza sometimes I don't know what the hell you want from me!"

The two of them remained quiet for a spell, both unsure of what it meant. "I don't know what I want, but I know I don't want this." Her tone was steely, her gaze lowered. "I didn't come here to fight."

"Then what did you come here for?" She hated the acid sound that left its mark on his words.

"Forget it; I'm sorry I've wasted your time." Tearing her eyes from his he watched her leave, but his body never followed.

**(Ed POV)**

"Hold still!" She ordered him, her eyes flashing in warning.

Lying in his boxers while a young woman leaned over him was a little too much. Especially when this young woman was wearing a tank top that clearly revealed how womanly she was. He needed to move a little, he needed to keep images of chemical equations firmly imprinted into his thoughts. Edward flinched at her raised voice but proceeded to roll his eyes, "Bossy."

She didn't even bother to warn him before she attached the nerve ends. The resounding cry of pain was quickly stifled as he watched her roll her eyes back at him. "Baby."

He was about to give her a piece of his mind when he realized with a start how different his arm felt. Sitting up he rolled the shoulder joint a few times, the nerves still tingling, but the effect was instantaneous. Jumping to his feet he punched the air a few times before grinning wickedly. "This is incredible!" He breathed out in amazed infatuation.

His arm responded quickly to his every move, the joints moving effortlessly as the arm itself weighed less heavily on his body. He had never experienced such freedom with his automail before, it felt remarkable.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot." He prompted her, still feeling rather optimistic about his arm.

Looking a little nervous he watched her toy with the last screw before closing up her toolbox. "How did it happen?"

His stomach dropped, the dangerous memory floating its way to the surface. "Accident."

He knew she was waiting for him to elaborate, but there was nothing to elaborate on. Nothing that he didn't already spend four years of his life obsessing over. "You better go get ready for tonight, you got oil on you."

Her gaze settled on her arms for a moment before she sighed, "Suppose you're right, well I'll see you tonight I guess?"

"Yeah."

The awkward silence stretched on for a little longer before Winry finally shut his dorm room door on her way out.

Regret was something he was used to. So it shouldn't have bothered him so much that he didn't tell her the whole truth, that he regretted answering so coldly because regret was normal for him. Regret reminded him of the series of mistakes he had yet to atone for.

**(Winry POV)**

Most of the people her grandmother and her had worked on were pretty reluctant to explain how they had managed to lose their limbs. Some of them her grandmother had treated from the start; farming accidents were some of the most common injuries they had seen. But when asked what had happened most patients refrained from detail, the events usually traumatic were not for discussing. So why she had to open her big mouth and pry into Edward's business was truly baffling. But if she was going to be honest, she wanted him to tell her. She wanted him to be able to trust her as a friend, to tell her his pains as she would tell him hers. In the end she was probably just kidding herself that he even saw her as a good friend. Maybe she was just a pity date for the night, a mechanic and a lab partner.

She and the rest of her sisters walked from the KD house over to the Beta house, the ties in their hands. Winry was well aware whose tie she had picked, like a damn bull she just had to go for the red one. Would it have been a better idea to get stuck with someone else, had Ed been disappointed that it was her that had picked his tie?

The thoughts subsided as she caught sight of the house. Almost every single Beta Tau Alpha was standing out front, dressed to impress, only missing their ties. It felt almost like a childhood game someone would play at a birthday party, only instead of pin the tail on the donkey it was pin the tie on the man.

Gracia turned to face the rest of the pledges, "The trick is finding your date. The girl who ties her tie on the right guy first gets 10 points. Each winning couple from every game tonight gets points. At the end of tonight the couple with the most points wins two free all day passes to Centrals Amusement Park. Winry grinned she was always up for a little competition. Good thing she had fitted Ed with his new automail, she wanted to win.

Olivia had appointed herself the supreme ref, refusing to join in on the festivities. When all the guys and girls were ready she stood off to the side, her loud voice easily discernable. "On your mark, get set…GO!"

She had the advantage when it came to knowing who she had already picked, but finding him in the crowd was proving to be more difficult until she caught sight of gleaming metal. That was her man alright! Racing towards him she quickly threw the tie around his neck, her hands expertly tying the piece. She had helped many recovering patients learn how to tie a tie. "DONE!" she cried happily.

There were several disappointed remarks, but she could have sworn Olivia looked smug about the results. "And the first ten points go to Winry and Ed."

The adrenaline rush slowly exiting, she realized her and Ed's last words had not been on the greatest of terms. Feeling a little unsure she was about to say something when she felt someone ruffle her hair. "Way to go machine junky." He poked fun happily.

Relieved she smiled back at him. "A little birdie told me I had your tie science geek, from there I just had to spot you."

He narrowed his eyes at her, "Are you calling me short?"

She lined up next to him; his shoulders were just a little higher than hers. "Well I don't call myself short so no, guess not."

"Better not be…" He muttered a half grin still on his face.

The next challenge proved just as easy. Without Riza or Olivia as competition, it wasn't as hard as she thought. Though she wondered why Riza never showed up. Someone had said something about her being good friends with a few of the boys, she wondered why she didn't come.

The wheel barrel race had been their second win, followed by a round of jeopardy in which she had to admit, having Ed as a partner was a definite plus. The piggyback race had two running stretches; each couple had to switch halfway. Winry found herself dissolving into laughter as they watched poor Adrienne struggle to pull Breda on her back. Maria and Denny ended up winning the piggyback race, but Winry had full confidence going into the last round that they could still win.

Crouching down low, Ed whispered into her ear. "We got this Win; you just have to trust me."

Nodding her head she let him tie the blindfold around her eyes. The last event was an obstacle course, only one of them had to be blindfolded. After flipping a coin it was decided that Ed would take the lead. The other couples had all made it through, though Hughes seemed so distracted that she was sure their time was a lot higher than it should have been. Luck of the draw they would be the last couple to go.

"Are you ready?" He asked hesitantly.

Taking a calming breath she grabbed a hold of his hand, "Let's do it."

Set up by some of the BTA guys who were in officer training for the military, the course resembled a basic obstacle course. First there was the line of tires, followed by the netting in which they had to crawl under on their stomachs, the wall, and in the end a single board suspended over a hosed down mud pit.

Winry had stared down the course while the other couples had gone, counting the number of steps it would take and memorizing the tricks in order to do them efficiently. Ed counted with her, careful to make sure he had the right words to cue her when the time came.

Feeling over prepared and a little giddy they tackled the tires quickly, Winry not missing a step as she held on tightly to Edward's hand. Crawling under the netting she almost laughed at what she couldn't see. So much for the formal attire the boys had been wearing. They had prepared for the wall in advance with a plan already formulated in their heads. Winry helped Ed get to the top; once he had stationed himself up there he reached for her. Having done each step so well she could feel her adrenaline building as she pictured the finish line in her mind. They had decided to walk the beam together unlike the other couples. The board was a little slick from the other couples who had fallen in the pit only a few feet below. Her breath caught in her throat as her footing slipped. Grabbing onto Edward she heard him let out a low grunt before she sent both of them toppling into the mud pit. Her ankle twisted as she landed, her body lying in the mud as she cried out in pain.

"Winry! What hurts?"

They were too damn close to not finish this. Trying to stand she felt herself collapse into his arms, grateful that even though she couldn't see, he was watching out for her. She tried to step again but Ed had already scooped her up into his arms.

"What are you doing!" Was he really going to carry her the rest of the way?

She could almost see the grin on his face as he managed to walk them over the plank once more and land on the opposite side. "Winning this."

When she heard the laughter and cheers she knew they had crossed the finish line. Ed pulled the bandana from her eyes but instead of looking victorious his expression was full of concern. "Did you hurt your ankle?"

A guy had never made her melt, but even with her clothes dripping with mud and her ankle throbbing she felt it. He had just won them the race and his only concern was her ankle? Smiling she threw her arms around his neck in a long embrace. "My ankle? Who cares about that? WE WON!"

**(Gracia POV)**

Gracia shared a look with Maes as they watched Edward blush. If only her sister knew what she was doing to that boy as she hugged him closely to her. "I wonder if they realize those passes they won only work if they go together."

Maes had that twinkle in his eyes; he was always trying to act as a matchmaker. "And you wonder why we plan these events!" But even as he laughed and cheered along with the rest of them Gracia couldn't help but notice something seemed off.

Wrapping her arms around his she nestled against his side, "Is something wrong?"

His eyebrows shot up, "Wrong? What could be wrong?"

Chewing nervously on her lower lip she tried to figure out what it was that seemed different. "Your acting almost like you did on our first date." She giggled softly, "Almost like you're nervous to be around me."

Shifting from one foot to the other she saw him glance nervously around, she must have hit it right on the nail. But they had been together for four years, why would he be nervous around her?

He kissed her on the forehead, that gentle smile of his easing her worries. "I have something for you; will you meet me out front while I go get it?"

Strange, it wasn't her birthday and Christmas wasn't until a few months. What gift could he possibly have for her? But she trusted him and if he wanted her to meet him out front, she would. "Is it something I'll like?" she asked smartly.

"I hope so." He breathed out looking nervous again before he bolted up the back porch and disappeared into the house.

Tapping her shoe on the stone pathway to the front of the house she crossed and uncrossed her arms. She had been standing there for at least ten minutes and the noise from the backyard had gotten suspiciously quiet. What are you up to Maes Hughes?

"I've got sunshine…" One of the BTA brothers walked out the front door, a rose in his hand.

"…on a cloudy day." Another brother stepped walked towards her, handing her another rose.

"When it's cold outside…"

"…I've got the month of May." Another two guys walked out and handed her roses.

Her hand clamped over her mouth as she watched the entire chapter walk out at this point to finish the verse together. "I guess you'd say, what can make me feel this way? My girl, my girl, my girl."

And then, though she was expecting it at this point the boys parted in time for Maes to step towards her and finish it up by himself. "Talkin' bout my girl." He sang softly before he dropped to one knee.

Gracia could feel the tears welling up in her eyes as she held onto an arm full of roses, the brothers of BTA and her sisters surrounding them.

"You'll always be my girl and I want to spend the rest of my life loving you. Gracia, will you marry me?"

Thank god she only needed one word to answer him. She could barely see the sparkling ring through her tears, her voice shock as she nodded her head. "Yes…yes, yes!"

In an instant she had dropped the flowers and jumped into his waiting arms as he pulled her into a deep kiss. She would always remember date night; it was a perfect tradition and a hell of a good idea.

A/N: Dont worry Noa and Rose are going to show up in the next chapter, along with some other characters that have been missing thus far...wonder who they might be...

Will Roy and Riza be able to make up? Will Ed tell Winry about his past? Will Rose regret joining AZ? What will the final task be for the Beta Tau pledges? Will Olivia get Winry as her little sister?

**Next chapter: Family Lines**


	7. Family Lines

**Chapter 7: Family Lines**

"Family, they might mean nothing to us or they might mean everything, either way they mean something."

**(Hohenheim POV)**

Not that he was a snoop, it just sort of came to his attention while chatting with his sons professor at the Investors Reception. He treated the University very kindly and this kindness gave way to loose lips; especially when it came to asking questions regarding his son. It wasn't the ideal situation between a father and son, but they were not the typical family. His son had barely spoken two words to him since the death of Trisha, the mother of his two sons and his late wife. Things just ended up going downhill since then; he never really found his place as their father. Making the best of what he had left he switched his energy to his business. He would never admit that his sons and their home were just painful reminders of what he had lost. Instead he would insist that conferences just seemed too important to let just anyone go. Traveling for business was his decision, whether it was in Drachma or Xing it didn't matter. About the only indicator that time was flying by was the steady updates from the hospital and the number of unanswered messages he knew had been deleted from his son's phone.

It was all different now and despite his own mistakes, the thread holding together their family was frayed and had been threatening to break for the last four years.

He had been away when it happened; it had taken two days for him to make it back, two days too late.

"You say he's doing well?" He asked, trying to poise the question as if he were just interested in his son's academic growth. If he was being honest he wished he could ask more without threatening to reveal the deep rift between them.

The older man chuckled as if this were comical, "Hohenheim your son is a genius when it comes to my class; I hardly think you should be worrying about him. Though, sometimes I believe he is only exerting effort in my class to impress that girlfriend of his."

His son had a girlfriend? That was a new and interesting development.

Another professor overhearing the conversation chimed in. "Ah! Are you referring to the Rockbell girl?"

Remarkable, it was someone he knew! Sadly he knew there were only two living Rockbells and one of them was certainly not in college, but he had heard about Sarah's daughter. No doubt she was Pinako's prodigy; with a remarkable blend of mechanics and medical expertise. How in the world had his son struck her attention?

"What did you say her name was?" He asked curiously to make sure he had his information correct before jumping to conclusions.

"Winry Rockbell, such a lovely young lady." The woman commented as his sons chemistry professor nodded in agreement.

Perhaps he should drop in and surprise his son with a visit while he was around. He might also want to extend a few words of advice when it came to women, he had a feeling that his son was woefully behind in that department.

Instead of seeking out Edward he found himself on a familiar drive. The drive to the hospital didn't take very long coming from Central University. He walked the familiar hospital hall, a few nurses smiling sadly at him as he passed by. He knew the pitied looks all too well. It was like watching someone walking death row, despite what guilt lay in his heart they knew the end was coming and so did he.

**(Kain POV)**

She was more than tempting, she was untouchable. The girl didn't know how her swaying hips and rebellious hair could really make a guy _feel_. Being back with Noa was proving to have its worth, she was a straight-line to Rose and he was going to use it.

Big/ Lil week was every sorority girls favorite time during their pledge days. It was the week in which they received presents from their big sister along with clues as to who they were. At the end of the week each big sister would reveal themselves to their new little. Of course the pledges went gaga over trying to guess who their big was all week, something Kain wasn't sure he would have the patience for. Yet here he was, walking up to the Alpha Z house wondering why the hell he still gave a damn. But that was a little white lie, he had hauled his ass over to the Alpha Zeta house because despite all the downsides catching a glimpse of his recent infatuation was a general uptick for the situation.

Before he had time to ring the doorbell Noa had already launched herself into his arms. He hadn't called in advance; she must have been waiting for him…how obnoxious. It was the same face, same laugh and same shit time after time. No wonder he didn't usually date, these things tend to get boring after awhile. He wondered if the twins he had recently slept with would consider his relationship with Noa as dating. How else could he explain their willingness if they believed he was dating their sister? He often told the brothers of Delta Tau that AZ women were priceless. With all the fake up front they had no time for reality. Noa had no idea how many of her sisters he had been with, especially during the last month.

On paper he didn't mind dating the president of the top sorority on campus, especially since he had found out she was going to be Rose's big sister. Even when he had thought she was useless to him, as he had mentioned before, they turned out to be priceless.

"Think she knows it's you yet?" He muttered out of annoyance as they watched the last few girls open presents.

"She's not retarded; I told her today that I was practically royalty. There are only a few of us in the princess family line, I assume she can put two and two together." Noa snapped.

Frowning he fought off the urge to smack that glare off her face. "Relax babe I'm just saying, you think she really wants you as a big sister?"

If looks could kill he might have a nosebleed. "You're an ass sometimes, you know that right?"

"And you're a bitch sometimes, what of it?" He snapped back.

She huffed loudly as if this were news to her. Funny, he thought she knew. "You can wait for me outside." She replied shrewdly as if this were a punishment.

Chuckling he walked out the door without answering, he _would_ rather wait outside. Just as he began to light up a smoke he thought he heard the sound of sobs. Fucking A. Looking around the corner he felt the initial annoyance drain as fast as a keg at a party. Taking a long drag of his cigarette he dropped it to the ground where the heel of his shoe smothered it into the cobblestone walkway. Walking up he cleared his throat loud enough to grab her attention.

The girl looked up quickly, her hand flying to wipe away the tears. Her mouth pouted as if she were stunned. He remembered what her mouth could do… which made this all that much easier. "Mind if I join you?"

Rose looked around nervously but he sat down as if she had said yes.

"Crying solves nothing." He remarked callously.

He watched her eyes narrow, "And cheating ruins everything."

She had some tough skin, "Oh kitty's got claws!"

"You've already taken what you wanted, what else could you possibly want?" Her tone implied she was still upset, but that stubborn set to her jaw proved she wasn't as weak as he thought.

He was rather curious about one thing. "Why didn't you tell Noa you slept with me?"

"I didn't realize you were her boyfriend until the pledge party." She answered harshly.

"That was a while ago, I'm sure you have had plenty of opportunities to have a little chat with her since then. Scared she'll kick you out of AZ?" He knew how badly some girls wanted to be in Alpha Zeta, of course she would want to protect her spot. He kind of liked the disgusted way she looked at him, because although she appeared appalled, she had yet to walk away.

He had spoken too soon. Rose jumped to her feet her eyes blazing, "You think I'm scared? I just found out that I slept with my big sisters boyfriend, I'm not scared…I'm worthless. I'm going to tell her Kain because despite the idea that she might never talk to me again I can't stand the thought of her still being with someone like you. Have a nice life asshole."

He watched her storm away from him, the tears gone from her face. After what she had just told him he figured he should be trying to figure out how to patch things up with Noa, but he didn't really care about her.

It was something else, a different feeling than before. There was a hollowness inside him. A hollowness he usually filled with the new passion of the night but for once he didn't want to. Her outburst had made him feel more alive than he had in years. She wasn't his backup plan like Noa and she wasn't something cute to play with. No, she was something entirely different.

He pondered the idea of Rose as his girlfriend. Not a girlfriend of convenience like Noa, but someone he actually wanted to give his time to. Was it possible that he was falling for her?

Considering his past he had a hard time believing that was even possible.

**(Winry POV)**

Winry pulled the piece of paper with her name written on it off the floor, her face twisting into an amused smile as her eyes traveled from the piece of paper to the vast web of string that stretched throughout the living room. Even through the maze of string she could see what connected to her one little piece of paper. Each pledge ducked and crawled until they had all found their names.

"Start rolling up your string!" Gracia encouraged them happily.

It might have been terribly frustrating if she had been at it alone. But with girls tripping and laughing as they tried to find the end of their string she couldn't help but laugh along. Her string it seemed had been the longest of all, taking her the full 15 minutes to finally wind it all the way to her first clue. The suspense already built up she excitedly opened the envelope. Reading quickly she stared at the card. "The color of our hair would make you think we are already blood sisters. You'll find your second clue in the place where things disappear, a place where people rest and things like keys, phones and pencils have been building up for generations."

Winry smirked; this was too easy. Running towards the couch she flipped up the cushions', not surprised by the number of lost items but pleased when the last cushion revealed another envelope. Opening it up she knew it was down to two girls, both of which she wanted very much.

"I'm a senior this year, come find me in the parking lot." The small slip read in neat handwriting.

Dumping the letter out, she stared at the key for a moment before she recognized the car logo. Rushing out the back door she noticed that all of her fellow pledges were currently running from car to car trying to find which one their car key fit to. She could hear the excited squeals as one by one each big sister was revealed. Darting to the overzealous hummer she knew who her big was long before she unlocked the door.

"Surprised?"

Winry grinned widely as she looked at the president of the sorority sitting smugly in the front seat. "I was sure it was between you and Gracia…" she felt a sad pang at the thought that someone had gotten Gracia as their big…and it wasn't her.

Olivia smiled before holding out an embroidered track jacket, the crest of KD on the back. Winry's mouth gaped open in awe. "Olivia…this is too much."

"Don't sweat it lil sis you're part of the family now. So when do you expect you'll be running for president?"

Winry stared blankly at her, "Huh?"

Olivia embraced her in a one armed hug, "Don't worry lil, every sister in our family line has been president."

As if finally noticing the gaping expression on her face Olivia actually smiled, a welcomed change from her usual unreadable expression. "I know you are going to make me proud."

Sitting outside in the courtyard Winry looked down at her jacket feeling a little confused. She had been excited at the thought that Olivia was her big sister, but the other part of her had secretly wanted Gracia to be her big. Olivia was all business, a great sister of course, but not the big sister Winry had always wanted.

A low whistle brought her thoughts up short.

"Nice jacket, did fixing my automail buy that?"

Scoffing Winry grinned, "I don't charge you enough to afford this."

Ed waved his metal fingers in front of her, "Ah the five finger discount then?"

"My big sister got it for me."

"Gracia bought you that? Dang, no wonder Hughes is so smitten with her." He mused out loud.

Weird she didn't even want to correct him, having Gracia as her big just sounded right. "No." She admitted reluctantly, "Olivia is my big."

"Oh." He must have noticed the downturn in her mood. "Disappointed?"

"Maybe I'm just being ungrateful… I just feel like I don't really know Olivia as well as I do Gracia. I feel like she only picked me as her little because of what she thinks I could be."

"What is it that she thinks you could be?" He asked realistically.

"She thinks I'm going to make her proud, she thinks I'm going to be president one day."

Ed leaned against the back of the bench on his elbows. "Maybe she's right."

Since when was Ed the voice of optimism? "What do you mean?"

"Even I can tell you aren't an ordinary girl Winry. There's just something about you that no one else has."

She could feel her face heat up but he didn't seem to understand the compliment he had just let slip. It was more than the compliment, it was him. She had found someone who made her happy and for once she didn't have to watch the person she cared about walk away. For now she had him by her side, for now she was happy to have such a friend.

**(Hughes POV)**

Havoc looked like he could have died as he watched Hughes match the brothers up with pledges. "They're going to kill each other before initiation."

"You could be right, but I've known Roy for some years and I am confident this is the best match." He felt satisfied with his work, the list was well thought out. "They have more in common then they think."

Falling backwards out of the lazy boy chair Jean doubled over in laughter. "You're being serious? Roy comes from a poor foster family and Elric is loaded. Have you seen the car he drives?"

Havoc was a good guy, but he had a lot of growing up to do. "It's not always about where we've been, but where you want to go. Roy doesn't have much in the way of family and if you haven't noticed neither does Ed. They are both holding in a lot of issues that need to be resolved. They can look out for each other."

The laughter was gone from the younger man's face, his hand running through his disheveled blonde hair. "You think Ed's going to make it through the last day of hell week?"

"You're the one who knows him the best, what do you think?"

Jean smirked, the usual laughter inches away from appearing on his face. "I think if he can win date night and survive our garbage disposal I think he's ready."

"Well there's still our big brother challenge but I think you're right. We got a good group of guys coming through this year." He liked the idea of going alum in both his fraternity and the college knowing that there were men to carry on where he had left off.

**(Ed POV)**

It was a power hour and he was fading fast. Ed poured back the shot of beer as the next song played over the speakers. "Ugh, how many do we have left?" He felt woozy and rather full.

"Ten more minutes left." Denny replied, his face a little paler than it had been a twenty minutes ago.

The brothers had challenged them to a power hour. An hour in which a shot of beer was taken for each minute. To help keep them all on pace a song was set to change every minute, alerting them to take the next shot. He had thought the liquor was his enemy but beer was slowly creeping up to take its place.

A loud belch echoed through the room. Breda was easily marked as the perpetrator. "Just making some more room." He announced convincingly.

Ed noticed that Roy was quieter than usual, his snarky remarks absent from the scene. He wondered vaguely if it had anything to do with the girl that had visited him the other day. Winry had mentioned something about the both of them missing out on date night. But as usual as soon as his thoughts turned to date night he couldn't think of anything but her. Damn woman was consuming his every thought. He filled his shot hastily as the next song began to play.

As they finished off the hour Ed found himself submerged into a very long and drawn out sing-along. The boys began to come together as they tried to do justice to a well-known pop song. He figured this was one of those bonding moments that they would keep secret between each other. Especially since some of the guys in particular seemed to know this Hanson song a little _too_ well.

Grinning he was about to join in on a song from Journey when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Pulling it out, his eyes widening as he recognized the number displayed. His father hadn't called him in months. Something inside smoldered hotly, an old wound reopening at the thought of the man who pretended he was something he was not.

The drunken stupor was probably a part of the reason why he hit send as he stepped out of the house and into the deserted back yard. He paced the lawn in a crocked path, his jaw set in a firm line of stubbornness. Maybe tonight he would give his father a full dose of all the things that begged and pleaded to be released.

"Edward?" His father's deep voice sounded rather surprised.

"You called?" He responded dully, his anger not far behind.

"I thought you might want to know, your brother…"

His heart stopped beating, his body sobering up at the mere mention of the only real family left in this world. "What happened?" He would never pray to a god that didn't exist, but he prayed now, prayed that the end had not come.

"I think it's time we talked about letting him rest in peace. I have discussed with the doctors..."

Edward froze on the spot, his eyes widened to saucers as he tried to process what exactly his father was referring to. "He's my brother." He replied breathlessly, afraid of what was to come.

"This is no life Edward, I'm sorry son…I have to agree with the doctors."

"You have no right to decide what happens to him. He's still alive." He spoke the last three words slowly.

His father sounded much older than he really was. "Edward, it's time."

A fierce loyalty and hard hitting hatred poured through his veins, fighting one another for the right to rule over him. "Do you have the guts to kill me dad, huh? You pull that plug and you are going to have to face killing your son."

"Don't be overdramatic Edward, now is not the time to act like a child." His father remarked, a sense of stress and pain lingering on his otherwise calm demeanor.

"Fuck you." He hung up on his father, the alcohol in his system swallowing him whole.

"Hey Ed, I think that's enough." A stern voice called him out as he tried to pour the rest of the bottle of Jack into his emptied shot glass. The power hour had ended a few hours ago and he was now working on a fifth he had found behind the bar in the living room.

But it didn't feel like enough, he could still feel the pain, he could still remember the accident as if it were playing on a loop in front of his eyes. One glance around revealed the empty room, the rest of the brothers must have gone to sleep a while ago. He looked at Roy through his tangled bangs wondering how it had turned out like this.

"I'm taking you home."

Ed pushed away his hands as he tried to pull him up from the chair. "Don't touch me." He muttered darkly, his emotions just barely hiding below the surface.

"This is my fraternity and this isn't your house yet. When I say it's time to go, it's time to go." He replied back evenly.

"You want me gone? I'M GONE!" He staggered to his feet wanting to escape the judgmental look on Roy's face.

"You were fine hours ago, what happened to you?" He accused him sternly.

There really was no reason for him to confide in his fraternity brother, especially Roy. He wanted to blame it on the Jack, but maybe he was sick of holding it in. "They're going to kill my brother and all I can do is stand by and watch…they are going to kill him…and it's all my fault." His body began to shake as he pushed away the nearly empty bottle in front of him. Getting up he stormed from the room and walked down the long road ahead.

If he wasn't so gone he would have noticed that Roy had tailed him all the way back to his dorm, that he had made sure his brother had made it home safe. Instead he barely recognized the building and when he arrived inside he found himself not in front of his dorm room but in front of hers.

Breathing hard he knocked on the door, a need stronger than his pain pushing him towards her.

Blinking into the light he watched her blue eyes shrink to slits as she tried to adjust to the brightness. "Ed…?"

He swallowed hard, not knowing exactly why he had come for her. "You wanted to know how I got my automail, didn't you?"

**(Riza POV)**

Riza sat alone in the University Park, glancing at her phone to check for what felt like the hundredth time. Sighing, she kept her hands in her lap, her legs crossed at the ankles as she sat formally on a park bench. Her father was over an hour late, nothing unusual just another disappointment. Though she had thought that maybe tonight would be different, with his illness he had been attempting to salvage their relationship. A part of her was sickened by the thought; she had a sinking feeling that this renewed interest in wanting to spend time with her stemmed from his research goals. He wanted someone to finish his research; he wanted to hand it over to her. But she was prepared, tonight she was going to refuse him, tonight she was going to finally tell him exactly what he could do with his research.

It was getting late, the sun was already setting in the sky and the once populated park was vacating. It hurt, being forgotten and left behind. How her mother lived for so long in a shadow she would never know. Patience gone she decided to check the lab, if he wasn't there she would turn off her phone and sleep away the pain. There was no excuse this time.

Trudging the distance to his lab she walked the empty hallways feeling the resentment build with each step. The place was deserted and yet he stayed, showing his clear favor of his work over her. The sounds of someone traveled out to the hallway, she wondered if this would be a confrontation. She didn't think she could hold back the animosity that had been growing behind closed lips.

Prepared to ream him out she halted as ran into someone. Knowing this younger man was not her father she tried to apologize until she recognized the dark features. "Excuse me." She replied rather stiffly.

Roy tried to help her up but she refused his hand.

"Riza…" He breathed out her name in a way that would usually keep her entranced, but not today. She was pissed off at her father and she was definitely upset with Roy.

She ignored the calm look of knowing on his face, she wouldn't let him fool her. "Is my father still here?"

There was a pause in which she knew he wanted to say something, but instead he answered just as coldly as she had asked. "He's in his office."

Knocking on the door she held back the urge to just barge in and demand to know why he was late. When he didn't respond she growled under her breath; she was running out of excuses for him. Opening the door swiftly, she felt the terrible weight of holding it all in for so long threaten to break free. About to confront him her mouth dropped open when noticed her father face down on his desk, a pool of blood spreading out from where his mouth hung open. Inhaling she didn't realize who was screaming until she felt her throat start to ache.

Racing to his side she shook him gently her heart hammering in her chest. "Dad? Dad!"

"Riza…wha?" Roy ran into the room his eyes switching from her to her father. "Professor!" He raced over to the man before she even had time to think, to breathe, to even comprehend what she was seeing.

"Call 911!" He barked out roughly.

Her hands trembled but her voice came out steely as the operator answered promptly. "I need an ambulance over at the Phillips Science building, up in room 432."

She watched on in horror as Roy tried to give CPR to her lifeless father. The phone slipped from her hand as he slowly stopped his manic attempts to bring him back. "He's gone." He whispered in disbelief.

Riza sank to her knees, all the anger she had felt for her father useless to her now. Her throat clenched and her eyes stung but no tears fell as she stared at the broken and aged man on the ground. Her father was dead.

She let Roy put his arm around her shoulder and lead her from the room. She even answered the questions from the paramedics and the police officers as they arrived on the scene.

The drive home was silent as she sat numb to the world around her. What were the last words she had spoken to him? Was he in pain? If she had gotten there earlier, could she have saved him? The same choking feeling felt as if it were strangling her, but no tears came. Was he dying as she sat there on a park bench hating him?

"Stay with me." He asked softly.

It dawned on her that he had pulled up to her sorority house. She looked at the large white house, the lights on in several rooms where she could imagine her sisters laughing. Somehow the dark cloud of emotion pouring from her didn't seem to fit inside those walls. Feeling impossibly lost and alone she stared back at him, all previous anger gone. She wanted to pretend the world had stopped spinning and that nothing existed, nothing but the air traveling in and out of her lungs.

"Stay with me?" He asked again.

She leaned back in the seat her eyes shutting as she shook her head slowly from side to side. She needed to be alone. "Thank you for driving me home." She answered softly, knowing deep inside she didn't want him to leave. But sometimes what we want is not what we need. She wanted to be with Roy but she was breaking and fast. The pain was threatening to spill and she couldn't stand the thought of him watching her fall apart into a million pieces.

The only way she knew how to deal with pain was to stand alone and face the dark. Now she would follow the path into darkness and let her world crash down. She never saw the pained expression on his face, she was walking up the path towards the house her eyes so blurred with unshed tears she hardly remembered the walk at all.

**(Roy POV)**

Bad things come in threes, he should have known this. Even if it was the stuff of myths and urban legends he had felt it coming. From the moment Hughes had told him about his plans to marry Gracia he had known. Good things like that never appeared in his life, and things had been good for far too long now. He was president of his fraternity, he had finally connected with Riza and his scholarship had paid for his new research project. But now he knew his world was falling back into its equilibrium. A world in which Riza was missing, his mentor was dead, and one of his pledges was falling off the deep end.

He put the glass to his lips and tipped it back. It could have been the fourth drink of the night or the fourteenth. Hell, he wasn't keeping count and the bartender had lovingly filled his glass up without him asking. The cigarette hung out of her mouth, the caked on makeup doing nothing to hide the years of age on her face. It felt more like home in the darkened night venue than he wanted to admit. He couldn't remember the last time he had visited here, but it was long enough that she was content to merely watch him out of the corner of her eye. She was a tough woman and despite their differences she knew exactly what he wanted and more importantly she knew what he needed. In that moment he didn't want to talk, he didn't want to think, he just wanted to be.

A few of the girls walked by, a few he recognized from his childhood caressed his cheek in passing. In a room full of people he was still alone, still stuck in a place he had been three years earlier. He wanted more in this life and he had thought he would find it in college. And yet here he was once again looking for answers at the bottom of a glass.

Picking up the glass he was surprised that it was drained, lifting his gaze up he noticed the bartender had made no move to refill it. Sitting up straighter he pushed the glass forward, trying to hint the obvious.

"Are you ready to talk Roy boy?" Madam Christmas asked calmly.

His temples throbbed; his throat ached to feel the burn again. Shaking his head he picked up his glass and tipped it towards her. He needed to drink away the pain; he needed to drink away the past until it never existed.

When she made no move to fill his glass he ground his teeth together in frustration, reality slowly filtering in through the haze. He didn't want to feel what was happening inside, "I'll find someone else who will if you won't." He responded; his glass still extended.

Smirking, she looked like a smug toad at that angle. "I have no doubts you could and yet you're still here."

Narrowing his eyes he tried to glare at her, but the room had a way of spinning that was throwing him off. "You think this is funny?" He wanted to hate her in that moment, he wanted to throw that glass at her knowing expression, he wanted to scream at her until his voice was hoarse.

"I think that you are still the same scared little boy I took in 16 years ago." She answered, her tone more of a challenge than an accusation.

He didn't answer her, but he noticed she filled his glass one more time before walking away. She was his foster mom and though they acted like strangers, he knew she was one of the only people who truly understood him…the other was miles away mourning the loss of her father.

He wasn't scared of death and the people it had taken from him; he was scared of the future and the idea of walking forward into it. There was a guilt to the pain he knew she was in, the pain he felt he could have stopped. How had he been working on research while a man lay dying only a room away? Did he go peacefully or did he spend his last moments trying to reach out to someone? Roy looked down at the now empty glass, what happens when you hit the bottom?

It was the life he never had; he had chosen his brothers as his support system. They had believed in him and stood up for him, but he couldn't shake the steady voice that told him to walk away. He knew that Hughes had placed him as Ed's big brother but he didn't feel like a big brother. He didn't feel like a role model as he slumped against the bar counter, his vision blurring. He felt broken and beaten and he had a sinking feeling no one could help him now.

* * *

A/N: Forgive me for this depressing chapter, but it had to come out.

**Next Chapter:** Initiation, at some point there is no going back.


	8. Initiation: Part One

**Chapter 8: Initiation-Part One**

**Sisterhood**

**(Ed Pov)**

The wind had calmed, the night itself seemed to have fallen into silence. There were no words for this, no way of explaining to her the tragedy that was his own doing. Besides his father and brother, no one knew the guilty secret he was harboring. The air felt thick with words he didn't want to say, a wordless nightmare that he desperately wanted to wake up from. It made him feel sick that she was waiting patiently while he drunkenly tried to collect his thoughts. "I don't know where to start…" Her face swam a little in front of him, but he couldn't lose it now.

"The beginning is usually a good place." She offered.

The shine of his metal appendage caught the light and guided him back to why he had dragged her out of bed and why they were sitting outside on the dorm front steps. "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"No, I'm an only child." Ed detected a hint of wistfulness.

"I have a little brother…his name is Alphonse." It was hard to not think about a time when he might have to use past tense. "He's all I've got."

To explain it all he knew he would have to go back in time. The four years that separated him in that moment from the turning point in his mediocre life suddenly seemed like a lifetime ago.

_Maybe it was a lifetime ago…_

The eardrum bursting volume didn't do much in the way of blocking out the storm raging outside or the sound of the phone ringing. He had successfully ignored the first 20 minutes of nonstop ringing, but his patience was limited. It was routine and by this time in his life he knew exactly how the phone call would go. His father would tell him something had come up, something always did, and he wouldn't be home. At that point it was up to Ed to fix dinner for him and his brother, it was up to him to explain to Al why his father only existed through a telephone wire.

Growling under his breath he began to think of all the things that would fit nicely with the phrase "fuck you". Picking up the phone he ignored any kind of greeting and waited for the half assed apology to pass through the line.

"Edward, is that you?"

There were a million different possible ways to answer him, but he felt the anger stifle his words as he stood quietly, seething in a silent rage.

"Edward dammit, answer me!"

He could tell the silence was stimulating his father's own temper. "And you wonder why I'm never home? I give you boys everything and you can't even pick up the phone? I've been calling you for 20 minutes straight, hell I've…"

He set the phone down on the receiver and unplugged it from the wall. Walking around the house he unplugged every phone, smashing his cell phone on the ground until it was hardly recognizable. In a daze he walked the darkened house until he stumbled into his father's unoccupied room, intent on destroying its contents. It might have been a futile attempt to replicate the chaos of his mind back at the man who had helped to create it. But as he began to push papers off the expensive desk a worn out letter caught his eye. From the worn and battered corners he could tell it had been read numerous times. Picking it up, he moved towards the window to catch enough light to read its contents.

_Please come home dear. I know you are trying to find a cure, but you must believe me when I say its time. I need you, but more importantly the boys need you. I love you so very much, please come home._

_All my love,_

_Trisha_

His hands began to shake as he dropped the letter to the floor. His father had known and still he had stayed away? The anger leapt like hot flames up his throat, a burning fire that consumed his entire being.

The bottom shelf in the kitchen didn't disappoint, two bottles of vodka sat unopened, a beacon if he ever saw one. He wasn't even legal to drive, but that didn't stop him from draining the two bottles effortlessly. The terrible headache followed but that wasn't entirely what made him grab the bottle of pills out of the drawer, he just knew how easily they slipped down his throat.

Immediately after he had taken them down he regretted it. Standing horrified with the front door still wide open was his younger brother. He watched in between bouts of darkness his brother's attempts to call for help. Ed wanted to tell him that he had unplugged all the phones but his mouth never moved. Before the pain completely escaped him he felt his brother drag him into the old corvette in the driveway. The last sounds to reach his ears sounded an awful lot like his little brother. The screaming voice tried to order him to stay awake, to stay with him but no begging and no pleading would pull him back.

Present day…

A lump had risen in his throat, though no tears ever fell. One glance at Winry made him wish he could cry. There was an achingly familiar look in her eyes, a loving look that his brother had always adorned. He wondered why she would waste such a look on him, was it pity? The empathy in those pale blue irises gave him the final breath of courage to finish where he had started.

"He was only 14, he had never driven a car before…and it was raining so hard." It felt like he was losing him all over again. "When I woke up they told me I was lucky to be alive, but they were wrong." He cleared his throat, trying to push down the terrible guilt. "I lost an arm and a leg, and Al lost consciousness…that's not luck. I should have died on the floor; Al should have never felt like he could have saved me."

He resisted her at first when she tried to pull him into her warm embrace, afraid of hurting her like he had everyone else in his life. But the hole in his heart didn't go away and the strong armed girl proved to be a much appreciated adversary as she forced him into a hug. The tears stung his eyes but they still refused to fall; now he held onto her as if she were the only thing keeping him in this world. He failed to tell her as she cried for him that he was too much of a coward to do it himself.

**(Olivia POV)**

Olivia stared at the note cards she had made; it was almost effortless to memorize her part in initiation. It seemed almost pointless to be studying it, but if perfection was required, she would give them no less. It wasn't until she heard the distant sounds of crying that she pried herself away from the words.

Looking for answers she walked into the main room, "What happened?"

Rebecca looked up, her eyes red from crying. "It's Riza…"

The note cards slipped from her grasp, her hands making no attempt to catch them. "Riza?" If something had happened to her…she couldn't finish the thought.

Gracia wiped the tears from her face, "Professor Hawkeye, her father passed away two nights ago."

Now it was clear why the girls looked so forlorn, Riza hadn't been home for two straight days and yet no one had bothered to question why. She thought of her obsession with the impending initiation. How had her sister taken a back seat, how had they let their sister lose the only close family to her and not notice? Her stomach churned unpleasantly as she stared at the cards scattered on the floor. The decision between duty and heart had never been in competition. Well that was effectively the biggest load of shit she had ever come across, to hell with initiation, her sister needed her.

"Answer your damn phone!" She growled under her breath, her eyes hesitantly glancing at the numbers on her phone screen. Trying again she listened to the official sounding message in Riza's voice requesting she leave her name and number. She couldn't help herself; patience was not a trait she was accustomed to. "Riza I just cancelled initiation, the least you can do is answer your damn phone!"

The girls had all split up; some were driving around while the other half remained at the house trying to call every connection they had. Olivia was just about to suggest they ask their brother fraternity, BTA to help them out when Gracia jumped up. Her pale face returned some of its color as she twisted the pretty ring on her finger out of nerves. "Maes are you sure…oh thank god…yes…ok…no I'm fine…I'll be over there in a few…yes…I know…Yes I love you too."

There are those people who you can imagine were soul mates from the start. Gracia and Maes were one of those couples that fit together as if there had never been a time when they were apart.

Sighing in relief she sank into Rebecca's arms, hugging her sister. "She's at the BTA house with Roy."

Olivia watched as her sisters sagged against one another, the weight lifting from their shoulders. It took only minutes to arrive at the BTA house and even less time for them to find Riza. She was leaning against Roy, her head resting in the crock of his neck as if she had always belonged beside him. Gracia and Rebecca embraced her first giving Olivia time to think what she wanted to say.

"If you ever do this to us again, I will personally make sure you are expelled from our sorority." Her jaw quivered as she fought back the tide of emotion that seemed so foreign to her. Riza moved out of the other girl's arms to stand in front of her. She hated that the usual confidence and sparkle to her friend was dulled by sadness.

"I know I should have told you what happened…I just…I'm sorry." She finished, her eyes slowly traveling to the floor in shame.

Before she could stop it the tears began to spill and she practically tackled her in a hug. "We were so worried…Riza don't you ever make me cry like this again!"

The smile that spread across her sister's face as they laughed at each other's uncharacteristic show of emotion seemed like the first light at the end of a long and dark tunnel.

Wiping the back of her hand across her cheeks Riza sent a meaningful look her way. "Come on girls, its initiation day we need to get ready."

There was courage and then there was self sacrificing. "Don't be ridiculous, the new members understand. It doesn't matter to them if it's today, tomorrow or two weeks from now. You are our sister, you come first, always."

**(Riza POV)**

It's a dead pain, a hollow ache that reminds you what's been lost. As if she needed reminding. Something felt clenched in her chest, pulled in so that maybe it wouldn't feel any pain. Looking at the grave marker she could feel it welling up again, but she kept her lips pressed together in a thin line. Avoiding the pain she jumped a little at the hand that pressed to the small of her back.

"It's just me."

Riza looked over her shoulder and nodded, unable to say anything. She wasn't alone in this world but that didn't stop her from feeling lonely.

"I haven't cried…do you think I'm heartless?" Her voice sounded strained even to her own ears.

The intensity in his gaze kept her frozen in place, even as he wrapped his fingers around her chin to pull her close. Their mouths only inches apart he shook his head slightly. "Crying doesn't mean you have a heart."

Swallowing, she fought the aching inside, "Then what does?"

He pulled her closer, "This."

As he kissed her she felt the wet trails finally fall down her cheeks. She wondered if it was possible to heal wounds you couldn't see. If it was, she thought this would be a good cure. His arm slid down to her waist and pulled her closer. As if this action was the right medicine she felt the hollow ache dim, until the hiccupping of her sobs drifted away and they had said their final goodbyes.

"I'm sorry Riza."

Her father was sick, they had never been close. She wasn't sure why he was looking at her like she was about to break. "Don't be, everyone dies."

He reached out and stroked her face, "No, I mean about us."

If she was being truthful she wasn't sure where he was going with this. "What us? I know how you feel about me, I do. But if you don't want a future with me…I…don't know what's left to say."

She realized after a few steps that he had stopped following her. Turning around slowly she waited for him to meet her gaze.

Lifting up his eyes from the ground she shivered from the force of his stare. "Who said I don't?" Taking long strides to her he grabbed the sides of her arms. "Dammit Riza, you're the one who keeps pushing me away!"

Before she could argue he had pulled something out of his pocket, the silver chain glinting in the light. Was that what she thought it was?

"I want you to wear them." He replied gruffly, the frustration still on his breath, though it appeared to be waning.

Eyeing the letters dangling from the chain that was now around her neck she gaped openly at him in surprise. "You…but Roy…this is…." Didn't he realize that once you lavaliere a girl you can never do it again? Or did he know that this was the closest thing to an engagement ring and the highest honor a brother of a fraternity can give?

"It's yours, it always has been. Life's short Riza, I don't want to waste what little time we do have pretending that you are just a friend. You've watched my back for too long, now it's my turn to watch yours. Besides…" He paused, his expression looking strained. "I promised your father I would look after you."

She could feel the blood leaving her face. "What?"

"He might not have been a good dad, but he was loved you Riza. Before he…before you came, he talked to me. Said if anything were to happen that he needed to know I would be there, that someone would be there for you."

"Is that why you did this?" Her voice arched in pitch. Did the guilt prompt him to take the next step with her? To second guess his motives didn't feel so great, but she couldn't help it.

"No." He looked at her as if she were missing something so obvious. "I did this because no matter which way I look at, you're the only girl for me. I love you Riza and its time I showed you how much."

Even with the necklace securely around her neck and his hand around her waist she couldn't say it back. She had been holding it in for so long she didn't know how to say it anymore.

The house was quiet when she returned. The sounds of sobs had long since evaporated as the late hour had slowly pulled them away. Now the only occupant in the house still up was sitting alone on the back porch letting the autumn breeze chill her down to the bone. Numb was a far better alternative than what she knew she ought to feel. Initiation was the next day and she knew despite what everyone reassured her, she had ruined it. No one would be paying attention to the girls going through; no one would watch the ceremony with the kind of awe and respect to which this particular rite of passage earned. Instead they would chance glances at her, feeling the strain of their own relationships with their fathers, perhaps even worrying about the possibilities of being in Riza's shoes. The kindness her sisters had for her was unexpected, burning a guiltily hole straight through to her heart. She wasn't sure she deserved to be pitied; her relationship with her father was strained at best. The cold wind picked up again, pulling the lose strands of hair across her face. She loved him, but if she was going to be honest with herself, she had lost him a long time ago. The minute her mother had left this place her father had lost what little part that connected her, his daughter, to him.

"Riza?"

Turning over her shoulder she tried to smile at the younger member. "Winry, what are you doing up so late?"

She stared absently out towards the empty yard. "Can't sleep."

"Yeah me neither. Nervous about tomorrow?" She guessed the thought of initiation was keeping her up. All the new members always spent the night before initiation in the sorority house. It was usually an all-nighter of games, food, stories and laughter but with everyone sound asleep she realized the impact she had left on the chapter. The letters of love and the home cooked dinner left in the fridge for her showed her that her sisters were truly thinking of her.

"A little but that's not why I can't sleep. I'm worried about Ed and I'm worried about you." She responded softly.

Edward, she had heard rumors about those two at date night. It was obvious that something was building between them. "Don't worry about me." She tried to smile reassuringly, "I'll be alright…I have you guys."

She was momentarily caught off guard by the sadness in the younger girl's eyes. "I knew someone who lost both of their parents."

Riza couldn't remember what her mother's voice had sounded like or the scent of her perfume. Her eyes felt damp, how long would it be before she forgot she ever had a family? "How did they deal with it?" She asked brokenly, the childlike hurt breaking through her tough skin.

Her eyes widened as she saw the tears pouring down the young girls face. "She found sisters and she remembered what it was like to have a family. They showed her what she didn't know she had been missing, they made her happy again."

Riza blinked quickly, as if seeing the broken girl for the first time. How had she missed it? When had she selfishly come to the conclusion that she was the only one to have ever known true pain? "I'm so sorry Winry."

Wiping away the tears from her face it looked like she was trying to be brave. "I know how it feels to be lonely…" She hugged Riza tightly. "I'm here if you need me. Come on." She nodded back at the house. "We have a big day tomorrow; we should get some sleep right?"

Riza smiled, feeling the pain subside for the moment. "Absolutely."

**(Winry POV)**

Sometimes it's the tragedy in life that brings people together. Winry had never felt as close to her sisters as she did that day. She thought of the story Edward had told her, just the idea of him coming so close to death scared her. It scared her because for the first time, in a long time, she had found someone who might possibly understand her.

"This is it, the last step you take before you become one of us." Gracia looked around expectantly. "If your heart isn't with us, then this is your last chance to walk away."

The group of girls stared back, their expressions nervous but their resolves steeled.

Beaming, Gracia smiled at them in kind. "Don't be nervous, today is a beautiful day."

Beautiful didn't quite describe the vision Winry had in her mind. She was under the impression that there was a hidden task that had yet to be revealed. Of course she was excited to become a full member and witness the secret ritual and the reason behind the sisterhood. But faced with the unknown she wasn't so sure she would describe this whole ordeal as beautiful just yet.

Winry wrung her hands out nervously, the white dress flowing out behind her as she walked forward down the dark hallway. The soft and lullaby like melody caught her ears, pulling her closer as every step dared to take her. Each girl was taken in by themselves into the large meeting room. The drapes had been drawn, the only light coming from a few candles placed around the room. The sisters were already seated on each side forming an aisle in which she was currently being led up. The focal point of the room and most assuredly the place she was being led to was a figure dressed in a white robe, the hood of which blocked their face from view. She had never seen anything quite like it.

Once she was standing a mere foot away from the figure she relaxed as Olivia's voice carried out from under the cover of the hood. "Please kneel."

Winry knelt down gently before looking back up into her big sisters face.

"Raise your right hand and repeat after me."

Her hand rose slowly as she tried to piece together just exactly what was happening.

"I solemnly swear…"

Winry almost forgot to repeat the words once she had heard them. "I solemnly swear."

"I will not reveal the secrets I learn as the veil is lifted off of our mysteries."

Gulping Winry prayed she had it right. "I will not reveal the secrets I learn as the veil is lifted off our mysteries."

"I will trust my sisters and in return will be worthy of their trust."

"I will trust my sisters and in return will be worthy of their trust."

She continued to repeat after Olivia until at last she heard Olivia say. "You are now a member of Kappa Delta, as such we hold you to a higher standard. Make nothing stand in your way, let nothing chase away your dreams and never forget the sisterhood that brought you here. Remember your vows, remember this day and remember to always live to be worthy of our name. Please rise."

Winry was led to Gracia who adorned similar robes, only hers were slightly less ostentatious. Gracia removed the new member badge from Winry's top replacing it with the member badge which consisted of a large triangle with a diamond K in the middle. "This badge symbols your commitment to Kappa Delta, the colors…" She pinned two ribbons of royal blue and mint green to her shirt. "…the blue for faith and green loyalty."

At this point Riza stepped up, the sadness gone from her eyes. Winry smiled, she was getting to be a part of a family again. "The secret handshake," She held her hand raised, pulling up Winry's to press against hers before closing her other hand, as well as her own around the two pressed together. Once they let go she stood next to Gracia, "The national password can only be given in the presence of Kappa Deltas." She turned to Gracia, "Are you a Kappa Delta?"

"Blue of the sky, I do not lie."

Riza smiled back, finishing the last part. "Green of the grass, so have you passed."

The rest of the ceremony might as well have been spoken in Latin for all she knew. Her mind was still trying to absorb everything when at last Olivia called for everyone to rise to their feet.

"Raise your right hands and repeat after me."

As a sisterhood they repeated the same vows Winry realized she had just taken when she had gone through.

"As we bring in the new and reaffirm the old, let us never forget the truth of our loyalty and the strength of our hearts."

All around her the girls began to do the secret handshake to one another before Olivia smiled at them, removing the hood from her head. Walking over to Winry she embraced her for a moment. "Congrats little sister, you have just survived initiation."

Winry glanced at Riza who was surrounded by her sisters, a smile that spread from her lips to her eyes. "Gracia was right." It was a truly beautiful moment.

**(Roy POV)**

The loud knock on his door made Roy jump up in haste. He stared at Edward standing there looking a bit awkward. "Oh it's you." He muttered.

"Can we talk?"

In the midst of everything he had forgotten that something was eating away at his brother. "Talk away."

"I just wanted to let you know that I'm quitting." He replied as nonchalant as if he were discussing the weather.

"Quitting what?" He had a suspicion of what it was, but he would rather let Ed say it.

"I'm sorry; I can't be a Beta Tau Alpha."

"Any particular reason why?" Roy asked, trying to figure out the hollowness behind his eyes. That same dead look was like déjà vou, they really were a lot alike.

"No."

"There's nothing you want to say to me then?" Roy tried once again to figure him out.

"No."

Roy frowned, "I really thought you were going to do great things, guess I was wrong."

Ed didn't answer him directly, though he could see his jaw clench and he could have sworn he heard him speak under his breath. "You wouldn't be the only one."

He watched him leave without following; he didn't have any fight in him lately. He could hear the front door slam shut and even Hughes confused voice calling his name, but he didn't answer.

**(Rose POV)**

Rose watched as Winry entered their room, feigning sleep when she caught the brilliant smile on her face. They had both been initiated that day; only Rose knew her's had been a lie. She had stood up in front of her big sister and vowed a pledge of truth without ever having spoken it. Noa had demanded that they get loads of pictures together and had even given her the traditional paddle decorated with their letters and pictures. Rose felt the bile rise up in her throat as she thought about the things she couldn't explain. She was the first to admit that Noa and some of her sisters seemed a little shallow, but who was she to judge. Was a liar and a cheat any better?

Once she was sure Winry's breathing had evened out into a steady flow she slipped from her bed and pulled on a favorite black dress of hers. Lining her eyes like a smoky haze, her lips coated in a deep shade of red she realized her need for attention and the desire to forget herself pooled together helping her finish the bottle of liquor from her drawer. Her hand never reached for the chaser, the burn far too appealing to have it go unnoticed.

It was like some kind of science fiction movie of time travel that she arrived at a fraternity house without having any memory of how she got there. The boys on the porch called her to them as if they needed her as much as she thought she needed them. She didn't recognize the letters on the house, she just knew they weren't Delta Tau and that was all she needed to know.

Her mind went numb as she smiled lustfully at the men who practically flocked to her. Out of the corner of her eye she thought she saw a few of her sister's disappearing upstairs with a couple different guys. Warning signs never went off in her head as to what it was that was happening around her.

Just as she was about to follow a few guys upstairs herself she saw him and her heart stopped.

"Oh Rose…" He clicked his tongue like he was chiding a child. Kane grinned, "You are a walking sin."

Part of her wanted to scream at him for being the cheating bastard he was, but the other part called her a liar and a coward. She wasn't any better than he was. Her guard collapsed as she stared at his handsome face, and felt the gentle caresses to her face. "I just can't seem to escape you, can I?"

He inched closer, his lips brushing against her. "And why would you want to escape me?"

Her heart hammered in her chest her blood practically screaming at her to jump him."I don't."

* * *

**a/n: **My sister tells me real initiations are much more elaborate, bare with my poor interpretation.

**Next Chapter:** Initiation- Part Two Brotherhood

Will Ed lose his fraternity brothers along with his own little brother? Will Riza tell her sisters about being lavaliered? And just how many times can one person cheat before they get caught?


	9. Initiation: Part Two

**Chapter 9: Initiation-Part Two**

**Brotherhood**

**(Ed POV)**

Maybe part of him had expected the fraternity to solve all his problems, to give him the family he was missing. The other part knew better, it knew that the slightest glimmer of happiness wasn't something that could heal the sadness of the past. His hand twitched towards his phone, a subconscious signal that he needed to talk to someone. Instead of grabbing it he leaned back in his desk chair, shutting his eyes as the suffocating room gave the illusion of closing in on him.

His chemistry book remained untouched, as it had for a long time, along with the rest of his useless class materials. He had long ago read every book in every level of science, a futile attempt to reach an unreachable goal. The foolish dream of curing his brother seemed like a half assed attempt to follow in his father's useless shoes. What am I doing? He felt like an outsider looking in.

What the hell did he have to lose? He wouldn't forgive himself for putting his brother in this situation, but not saying goodbye…could he _live_ with himself if it was too late? How long had it been since he had last visited his brother? The conversation with his father made his stomach churn. The lump in his throat drove him to send his chair flying to the floor, his coat yanked from his bed as he grabbed his car keys. He couldn't be afraid of what he might find, he would fear instead what might happen if he didn't go looking.

The engine turned over and over, never catching. "Are you fucking kidding me?" He screamed at the car, his fists pounding against the steering wheel. At this point the engine was probably flooded. If the bastard had already pulled the plug he was going to push his car over a cliff. Pulling the keys out of the ignition he slumped in the driver's seat of the corvette. The car had been through quite a lot, though no one would be able to tell that it had once flipped over three times before it smashed into a tree. He half believed that if this car could smash once it could easily do it again. Hohenhiem's graduation preset to him. Nice present dad; restore the car that put your son in a coma.

It came fast, like a lightning bolt out of the sky, Winry. She was a mechanic right? He pictured her lying under his car, oil smeared across her face…but the alluring image was not his to have. She had already done enough for him. Slamming the car door shut he kicked the front tire, trying to aim his anger at something tangible.

Aiming a few more kicks he heard the sound of a car pull up.

"Need a lift?"

Need yes, want…no. "What are you doing here?" He must not have heard that he wasn't his brother anymore.

"Wondering why someone is trying to beat up a nice car." His eyes twinkled with a kindness that held no ulterior motive.

"Not much use to me if it can't even start."

"Where are you headed? I have time on my hands and you look like you could use it." His shaved head seemed to shine like some kind of lighthouse directing lost ships at night. It might have been this little inside joke that made him drop his guard.

"Enough time that you could take me to Central Hospital?"

The large mans muscles flexed as his face beamed. "The hospital it is."

His mouth tugged down at the edges as he stared at Alex. "You're not going to ask why I need to go to the hospital."

The large man grabbed the latch of the passenger side door and opened it. "You need a ride and I have a car. I don't need any other reason." His eyes squinted shut as his grin stretched across his face.

In all honesty the drive wasn't too bad; the main hospital should only be about a 15 minute drive from campus. Sitting back in the seat he eyed the old jeep wrangler's rather ordinary existence. Armstrong was a name synonymous with wealth, why was Alex driving this rather average car?

"Olivia thinks it's ridiculous too."

Snapping out of his revere he turned to look at Alex. "Huh?"

"The car." He patted the steering wheel in a rather affectionate gesture. "She thinks it was waste of money."

Waste of money…was that something they actually worried about? They could waste money for years and it wouldn't even make a dent in their fortune. "I never said it was ridiculous." He countered.

"But you think because my family is rich that I should be driving something a little more expensive, right?" He prompted.

No, that wasn't entirely it. "You bought this yourself didn't you?"

"Bingo." Alex laughed jovially as if he were attending some kind of comedy show. "Besides nothing says rugged like a jeep right?" He flexed his muscles for good measure.

At least they had finally arrived; though he wasn't sure exactly why that 15 minute ride had made him regret quitting BTA.

"Want me to stay while you go in?" He offered as if it were no hassle at all.

Ed thought it over but he couldn't let him sit out there by himself that was truly a pathetically sad thought. "Nah, thanks for the lift though."

"Anytime, that's what brothers are for right?"

Not able to look him in the eyes he turned quickly, raising his hand in the air as a final sendoff.

He didn't visit often, it made it all too real when he did. The older nurse at the front desk smiled at his approach her eyes drifting up towards the clock on the wall. "You know, the time for visitors ended two hours ago."

Shoving his hands into his pockets he followed her gaze to the clock, fair enough. Maybe he should have asked Alex to stay.

"I didn't say you had to leave…I just said visiting hours are over." Stretching, her shoulder made a light popping sound before she lifted up an empty coffee cup. "Now if you'll excuse me I need to get some more coffee…probably take about 20 minutes before I get back."

Ed didn't miss the hidden smirk on her face nor the way she slid the chart of patient room numbers slightly towards him. "Have a good night." She sang sweetly as she walked away from the desk and down an opposite hallway.

His nose wrinkled up at the smell of cleaning products and disinfectant, the distant aroma of 409 seemed to sink right through your pores as soon as you walked in. Ignoring the occasional moans, the distant sounds of voices and of course the incessant beepings of machines he walked down the hall until at last he had reached room 324. Checking to make sure no one was watching he opened the door, shutting it firmly behind him as he stepped into the small room.

Someone had turned on the TV, the drapes pulled shut for the night. It was the small touches that got to him, the small things some of the nurses did that made it seem like someone actually inhabited the room. Finding a chair in the corner of the room he slid it up next to the bed, his gaze sliding up the starchy blankets to the frail form that lay beneath. His brothers blond hair had long outgrown its usual style, though he wouldn't let anyone cut it. The sight of his brother's hair growing gave him hope; it reminded him that something inside him was still fighting to live.

"Hey Al…" The steady rhythm on the monitor never wavered.

He recounted the events of hell week, startled by smile that kept tugging at the corner of his mouth. It was easy to imagine his younger brothers face as he described the horrible taste of food when its way past its expiration date, running naked and cleaning the house along with all the other crazy and undesirable tasks he had accomplished. He hesitated for a brief moment as he described winning date night with Winry.

"She's different than most girls, you'd like her." He tapped his automail fingers on the chairs armrest. "Best automail I've ever had too." He paused again, the realization slamming into him. He swallowed hard, "She makes me feel like a better person, someone like you."

His speech ran out as he stared at his brothers pale face. The conversation with his father ran through his mind.

"We're running out of time Al, you gotta wake up." His voice cracked. "Wake up Al, wake up before it's too late."

**(Rose POV)**

Pulling the sheet up, she covered her body before lying back down. Taking a deep breath she stared anywhere but the empty spot on the bed next to her. There was no one to blame this time but herself. She had willingly pulled him into bed with her and done it not once but several times before they finally passed out. Once it started she couldn't remember why she should stop.

But the most peculiar thing that had made her putty in his hands was the words right before she had fallen asleep. Most likely she had misheard him, but she could have sworn he had kissed her forehead before he mumbled sweet dreams.

She stared at the imprint of where a head had once laid, but was now only a small indicator that last night had been real. No, this picture fit much better with Kane. He wasn't the kind of man who stayed, who could be trusted, who she could love. He was a drug, a desired but deadly concoction that was going to take her down if she didn't find a way to escape. So why was she still there?

When the door swung open she felt his stomach drop, drawing up the covers protectively around herself. Damn it, why didn't she just leave when she woke up? She let out a relieved breath, it was only Kane. Though her eyes widened considerably at what was in his hands.

"Breakfast is served!" He set the tray down on her lap before reclaiming his spot next to her, grabbing a piece of bacon and shoving it into his mouth.

"Breakfast? You brought me breakfast in bed?" Who was this stranger and what had he done with the one track minded Kane?

"Mmhmm." He answered the food still in his mouth.

Without really thinking about it she dug a fork into the pancakes. Part of her half expected it to taste like brittle bread, but the sensation of taste was nothing like that. "You made these?" She asked in awe.

His forehead wrinkled in distaste, "Hell no, the pledges made this."

Right, it couldn't have been that simple.

"Why, what's wrong with it?" He added curiously before grabbing the fork from her hands and taking a bite himself.

"It's not right."

"Tastes just fine to me." He replied unconvinced.

"I meant this, you, us…eating breakfast in bed." She didn't think she needed to explain any further. He seemed to have fewer if any expectations about what they were than she did.

He leaned closer, his mouth brushing against her shoulder blade. "Then what is it suppose to be like?"

"Ugh!" she shoved the tray onto his lap, standing up out of his reach. "This is something couples do, couples who love each other…it's just something people who love each other do. They make love all night and then eat breakfast in bed with each other."

"So, what of it?" He forked another piece of pancake into his mouth.

"You didn't tell Noa did you?" It wasn't much of a question as it was an accusation.

"Neither did you." He shot back before picking up the tray and starting to finish off the meal.

"Would you stop eating! This is important!" She scolded him harshly, her own patience gone.

A low sigh caught her ears as she watched him slowly stand up and face her. She wasn't expecting the hard look on his face to mean what it did. Waiting for him to match her anger she was confused as he pulled her into his embrace, smashing his lips against hers. She would have liked to say that she did all that was in her power to resist him, but that never happened. When he finally broke the kiss she just gaped at him in confusion; that was not the reaction she had anticipated.

As if sensing her thoughts he grinned before shrugging his shoulders. "You are the most irresistible when you're pissed."

Defeated almost instantly by his charisma the fight drained out of her. "What are we doing?"

He gave her a long searching look, "I don't know." He answered his voice rough.

**(Gracia POV)**

Gracia was brushing her teeth in the bathroom when she first saw it, her mouth gaping open, the toothpaste slowly sliding off the brush and into the sink basin. Through the mirror she stared at the shiny metal chain around her friend's neck as she stepped out of the shower stall in a towel.

She had her suspicious for a long time…a _long_ time, but that didn't make this moment any less stunning. Not sensing her obvious disbelief Riza walked up next to her and began to brush out her short blonde locks at the sink next to hers. When at last she caught sight of Gracia staring at her she frowned.

"What? Is there something on my face?" She checked the mirror briefly before turning back to her.

At this distance Gracia knew without a doubt what it was. Feeling a little betrayed that her friend hadn't felt the need to tell her something like this she washed out her mouth before setting her toothbrush back. Grabbing her towel she could feel the tears budding in her eyes, she had thought they were closer than friends, they were supposed to be sisters.

"Congrats." She muttered casting a meaningful glance at the letters around her neck before walking out of the bathroom.

**(? POV)**

She was sitting at her desk, her blond locks tucked behind her ears as she scribbled frantic notes. They were covering the first emperors of Xing and from the looks of it this girl was trying her best to pull out every bit and piece of information from his lecture that she could. He had been watching her for quite some time now, ever since the beginning of school to be exact, today his focus was on the small streak of what looked like oil on her cheek. The girl must have been initiated into her sorority; she had walked in proudly sporting the Kappa Delta letters. Good girl, he liked KD girls, they had a kind of fighting spirit that couldn't be tamed.  
His face cracked with a smile, he wondered if she knew today was her lucky day.

**(Winry POV)**

Ten, ten emperors had sat in the throne over the span of only two years. How in the world was she going to pass Xing history? To begin with she wasn't entirely convinced the course would be of use to her in the medicinal field, but she had been wrong before. Her hand ached a little; the pressure of writing so much in such a short amount of time was beginning to show. That and she had put in a good 5 hours that morning at a local garage, nothing too extensive. So far she had preformed a lot of standard issue checks, oil changes and a replaced one tire rod. The garage had been reluctant to hire her, she figured it might not have been a good idea to show up to her interview in her favorite black skirt and the heels Rose had insisted she wear instead of her black boots. It seemed that the head guy Tony was still leery of her expertise, though she hadn't heard a word of complaint on her work thus far. With a sigh she reminded herself that with time they would learn to take her seriously.

As the professor announced the next class meetings assignment she quickly began to pack up her books. Ed had called her at work and said he needed to talk with her. She had a feeling it was about his brother and she didn't want to waste any time. Now that she knew what it was like having siblings she couldn't imagine ever having to lose one. The broken look in his eyes was haunting, something she wished she could take back.

There was something she needed to tell him too; unless maybe that was the reason he wanted to see her. She smiled happily, she hoped it was the reason he wanted to see her. After all she had pulled an all-nighter fixing his car. Though in truth he hadn't asked her, but word has spread fast and between his brothers and Maes connection with Gracia she had not only managed to find out his car needed fixing but they had gotten a hold of his keys as well. The key part didn't come as a shock to her as Havoc had that guilty expression on his face, she would make sure to find out later how he had gotten them.

About to bolt out of the classroom a guy knocked straight into her. Rubbing her arm she was about to say a quick apology when one hand gripped her arm rather tightly. Halting in her step she turned over her shoulder in surprise.

"Wait." The stranger requested of her.

Oh wow. Her heart thudded in her chest, this guy was gorgeous. His long, shiny black hair was pulled back into a ponytail reminding her of a golden eyed boy she had been heading off to see. Only this man's eyes were sharp and piercing, his jaw line tight as if smiling was an uncommon occurrence. Again she tried to utter an apology but the words fell flat as his hand came up, brushing her cheek in a caress.

Aw hell. Trying to stifle the rush of blood to her face she managed a rather uncharismatic, "Huh?"

He turned his hand over revealing a black smudge. "You had oil on your face."

"Oh." The way he stared at her sent chills down her spine. "Thanks."

A serene look of calm indifference was his entire being. "Your name is Winry right?"

He knew her name? She wondered if the professor had called it out before, she couldn't remember if she ever spoke up in this class. "Yeah…sorry but who are you?"

She wasn't very good at picking up signals, but the way he was grinning at her seemed to say the obvious. "We have chemistry together too." The grin widened, "You can call me Zolf."

Winry contemplated what he had just said; she knew he wasn't in her lab. But her chemistry lecture was an awfully big class, there was a possibility he was there and she had never noticed him before.

"I know this may seem forward, but would you like to grab coffee with me?"

Dating in Resembol was a completely different rhelm than here at Central University. Growing up she had dated one guy in high school and it had been the talk of the town when she had broke things off to go off to college. But dating here, well Rose was a good example if any how you could juggle five guys if you wanted and no one would be the wiser. Then again he could just be being friendly…though her instincts told her that wasn't the case.

"Sorry, I'm supposed to meet someone. Maybe next time?" He was a good looking guy, but she wasn't a juggler like Rose, she preferred a one man show. Edward was all the man she could handle at the moment…even if he might not think the same about her.

The grin etched itself further into his features. "Next time it is."

As she walked up the dorm stairs towards Edwards's floor she could feel her heart still beating loudly. Did she just agree to going out for coffee with that guy? Maybe she could avoid him long enough for the semester to end. It wasn't that she didn't find him attractive and he had been rather sweet to wipe the oil off her face, but there was something about him she wasn't so crazy about. Knocking on the door she put Zolf out of her mind and worried about the one man who she was crazy about.

She knocked a few more times, but when he didn't answer she began to pull out her phone to check if he was home when she overheard voices down the hall. She wasn't an eavesdropper, but the raised voices sounded an awfully lot like Ed and Havoc.

The door to the common room was wide open; there could be no disguising who was in there. She should have walked away and come back later and yet her feet remained planted to the floor.

"If you could just tell me why you quit then I maybe I would leave you alone!" Havoc shouted in retaliation to whatever Ed must have said.

"There's nothing for me here…" Ed replied fiercely.

What did he mean there was nothing for him here? Her heart sank a little, was he dropping out of school? That didn't sound right, he was acing his classes and money was not a problem.

"I understand if you don't want to be a brother, for whatever reason you have, I get it. But dropping out of school, what the hell are you going to do with the rest of your life?"

"Why do you even fucking care? I'm not your brother anymore Havoc, you don't have to pretend anymore."

She could almost hear the gears of automail protesting as the pause dragged out. "What's going on with you Ed? I thought we were friends and if not me what about Maes, Denny…what about Winry?"

His voice lowered, she had to lean in to hear it. Subconsciously she held her breath as if she might miss his words if she took it in.

"I need to get away from here." His voice sounded cold.

"Don't be a fucking coward Ed, are you really going to tell me that you are willing to let go not only your friends but a girl like Winry?" He sounded disappointed.

"When they find out I quit BTA they won't be my friends for much longer. Winry…she's just my mechanic, I can always find a new one."

Was that what he had wanted to tell her? That he was leaving them; that she had never meant anything? Several things happened at once, the horrified look on Havocs face as he watched Ed storm out or maybe it was seeing her standing there and of course the look on Ed's face as he saw her standing there. His complexion whitened as he raised a hand in her direction but she had already turned away.

She would give him credit, he was a fast runner. It had only taken him a few minutes before he had found her. Just seeing him standing there looking sorry made the blood boil under her skin. Did he pity her? She couldn't fathom how in the world she had mistaken his friendship for something more. "I fixed your car, I made you automail, I listened to your drunken ass, I even cried for you!"

The feeling of betrayal stung, he just stood there as if she hadn't said anything at all.

How stupid could she be? Had she really thought that he was her friend, that maybe he would be more than her friend? What a joke. And yet he still stood there, like speaking was suddenly foreign to him. "I practically ran here to see you after you called me, I thought something might have happened with your brother…or that maybe you were going to thank me for fixing your car…I don't know what I thought."

Nothing, though this time his mouth at least attempted to move.

"No, forget it. You owe me for your automail by the way." She wanted to scream, to cry at him for hurting her but _they_ had never been anything…only she had felt that way.

"I lied." He finally managed to choke out.

"I know." He had made her believe he trusted her and that she could in turn trust him.

"No, I didn't mean for you to hear that…you mean much more to me than a mechanic." He finished, in her opinion, a little lamely.

"Then why would you say it?" The cover of anger she had been hiding behind was crumbling down around her.

"Because I can't stay here and if you are just my mechanic it makes it easier for me to go." He replied, at least having the courtesy to look ashamed.

"You think your father was selfish for leaving…just what do you think you're doing?" She knew it was a low blow, but she didn't like the thought of being left behind.

"You don't know what it's like!" He spat out, his face suddenly turning harsh. "You don't know what's it like lose your mom, have a sorry excuse of a dad and watch your little brother waste away."

She didn't like arguing with him, she knew he was hurting but he didn't seem to realize she was hurting just as bad. "No…you're right I don't know what it's like to have a sorry excuse for a dad or watch a little brother waste away. I never got the chance! My parents were murdered and the only family I have left is my grandmother. So no I don't know what you are going through but maybe if you took the time to see that you aren't the only one in pain you could actually stop wallowing in self pity and GROW UP!"

There really wasn't much more to say so she let the disappointment and sadness sink in.

**(Hughes POV)**

He was going to have a talk with him; he was going to wring his neck if that's what it took. Whatever alternate universe Ed was working in needed to be shut down. Pounding on his door he folded his arms across his chest and waited. There were a few choice words he had saved up, especially after seeing the look on Winry's face he was more than prepared to say them.

Gracia loved Winry like a little sister, so to him she was like a little sister and Edward had just pulled the biggest dick move he had seen in some time. Frankly speaking that was saying something; his best friend was Roy after all.

Ed took one look at him and started to shut the door, "Go away." He muttered darkly under his breath.

Maes gripped the door, refusing to let it shut. "Mind if I come in?" He asked politely though he was going to do it anyway.

Backing away he didn't look like he was going to refuse him after all. "You want to explain to me why you're quitting school and fucking up your life?"

He didn't swear and he was sure that his use of the word was the reason the kids face shot up in surprise. "I know about your brother Ed." He added, trying to get him to talk about his problems instead of pushing them under a rug or hiding them under an intoxicated stupor. Ed was in fact a lot like his best friend, and he knew how to deal with Roy when things got bad.

"This isn't about him."

"Then what _is_ it about?" Maes pressed, unrelenting in his quest to figure him out.

When Ed couldn't answer him Maes sighed, sitting on top of his desk. "Listen, I didn't come here to yell at you. I came here because you are making a mistake, a big one." He waited for him to disagree, though as he had thought Ed had nothing to rebuttal with. "But you're a freshman and you're allowed to make some pretty big mistakes, but the difference between you and those who ruin their lives…you know how to fix this mistake. Do you really think your brother would want to see you throw away a chance at a good life? You know the combination to the BTA house, come on over when you're ready to talk."

Ed had sat down on his bed, his head in his hands. Maes pretended not to see. "Oh and Ed?"

The younger man slowly pulled up his gaze from the floor.

"Go apologize to Winry because that's one mistake you will regret for the rest of your life."

**(Noa POV)**

Noa slammed the gavel down on the table, "Order!" She shouted over the smattering of outbursts that had followed her announcement.

"This is a formal meeting and you will remain silent unless I give you permission to speak." Her eyes dared anyone to contradict her. "Now, our field consultant will be with us starting next week. That means no partying at night, no drinking in the house and no boys over after 10pm. Is that clear?"

She wasn't a big fan of having a field consultant stay with them, but nationals insisted upon a visit at least once a year. Thank god it wasn't during Greek Week.

Two hands raised high; the look on her sisters faces clearly betraying their unrest. "Yes Kelly?"

The strawberry blond haired girl looked at her twin briefly before standing up to address the chapter. "I understand the house rules are back into place, but no partying? How is she going to know that we were out partying…especially if we just spend the night there?" Her face lit up with a smug smile as she waited for Noa to respond.

Being president gave her a great deal of power and persuasion over her sisters, but it also meant that she had to toe the line when it came to nationals. If she wanted to get their annual Alpha Zeta mud wrestling tournament approved she needed to make sure this visit went as smoothly as possible. Obviously there were some things the chapter did that would be frowned upon.

The rest of meeting went as expected, the occasional objections were overruled and the overall attention span was past its due as she tapped the gavel to end the meeting. Once she had concluded the procession she caught sight of her little sister standing off to the side.

She was proud to say that Rose was her little sister, the girl had great taste. Today her plaid skirt matched well with her cream v- neck shirt and her hair styled classically to the side. So why was there a troubling expression on her face? Feeling more like a big sister than she ever had before she quickly stowed the rest of the materials from meeting into her Alpha Zeta bag and hurried to her side.

"What's up?"

The devastating look on her sister's face made her drawback, god had someone died?

"Do you think we could go somewhere to talk?" Her voice sounded so unsure.

Just as she was about to reply Suzy grabbed her arm forcefully. "I need to talk to you."

Noa looked between them briefly; her little could wait for a moment. "This will only take a minute, wait for me up in my room Rose."

Suzy was after all her Vice President and despite her tiny size she could be intimidating when she wanted to be. But if this was about the field consultant visit, heads would roll.

"There's something you should know." She spoke in a sickly sweet voice and Noa wondered what kind of conversation this was going to be. Taking a dramatic pause Suzy cleared her throat. "Two of the girls and myself were at the Delta Iota Kappa house last night."

Well that wasn't a surprise; she knew a few of her sisters had a thing for the rough and tough boys of DIK.

"Noa…we saw Rose with Kane."

A rush of blood to her head made the room sway. "Rose, my little sister Rose?" She spoke coldly.

Suzy goaded her lightly, "We can make her life hell Noa."

Her hands shaking slightly she pushed passed her and began to walk towards her room. There waiting with a pained expression on her face was the one person she had thought she might be able to depend. She was never the stupid girl she pretended to be, there was no one in the sorority that actually liked one another. Their relationships were based on fear of what one might do to another, keep your enemies closer and all that.

"I want you out."

The young girl looked ready to cry, "Wait Noa, please let me explain!" she whimpered.

Oh it was quite clear what she would explain and though Noa knew Kane had not been faithful, she had never imagined it would be one of her sisters. "You can turn in your letters tomorrow."

When she followed in the wake of Rose's tearful exit Noa felt all eyes on her. Girls were peaking their heads out of their rooms, some still in their formal meeting attire, but all Noa felt was pain. No one would get away with embarrassing her like this, NO ONE.

* * *

A/N: I never noticed how depressing these chapters are, but I promise its not all doom and gloom for long!

**Next Chapter:** Beautiful Liar


	10. Beautiful Liar

**Chapter 10: Beautiful Liar**

**(Ed POV)**

If you lose something, you tend to go looking for it. This is especially true when the thing you've lost is irreplaceable. If he was stupid enough to let it go, then he needed to be man enough to find a way to get it back.

**(Rose POV)**

Rose had seen the look on her roommates face, clearly something had happened. That devastating look was easily recognizable and felt vaguely like staring into a mirror.

But as usual Winry appeared to come to her senses first. "Rose?" The soft tone to her voice shattered the quiet of the room. "Are you ok?"

The simple question and the sincerity behind it shook her. It crumbled the protective layer she had put around herself after she had handed in her letters. Could she explain her betrayal against her sister to Winry? Would she too turn her back like all her sisters had? It chilled her to remember walking into a house full of her past sisters and feel nothing but animosity and hate staring back at her. It had been an ugly exit; no one had spoken a word except for Noa who had been expecting her.

She had cried and begged like a pathetic child only to have her sisters turn away and end her life as an Alpha Zeta. "I was kicked out of Alpha Zeta today." It sounded almost as painful coming from her own lips as it had her big sisters.

Winry had every right to ask her why or to even care less. Yet there she was dropping her bag and throwing her arms around her as if she needed such a thing as a hug…which she did.

"Come on." The blond girl retaliated against the dark cloud that was hovering over them. "I'm calling my big and we are going to do something fun."

The more she thought about it, the less likely it seemed she would have any kind of fun. Trying to be polite she faked a smile and brushed off her roommates concern. "Oh I'll be fine; I should probably start studying for my psychology exam anyways."

Hands on her hips, Rose now felt a little bit of why Winry could hold her own in a man's line of work. She was a fighter and right now she was trying to prove herself. "I'm calling Olivia to come pick us up, put on some gym clothes." She suggested.

Gym clothes, what the hell? She was all for working out on the occasion but was that what Winry considered fun? Looking at her roommate's lean but toned body it very well could be.

They were climbing into Olivia's Ferrari before she really had an opportunity to figure out just what Winry had in mind. Just riding in the eye popping yellow dream car seemed to mellow out any hesitation for the moment. To be honest, she liked the feeling of attention as bystanders gawked at the yellow blur that sped past. It was refreshing to be stared at because of the car she was in and not the shame of something she had done.

Rose has to suppress a smirk as Olivia pulled into the back parking lot behind the Kappa Delta house and into a spot specifically labeled Chapter President. And yet the real surprise was just observing Winry interacting with her big sister. Admittedly the idea of Olivia being Winry's big sister was laughable, but she couldn't be more wrong. Just being around them helped her see exactly why these two very different people worked so well together. Winry mellowed out the authority power trip Olivia usually worked under while Olivia pushed Winry into a more commanding and self-assured role.

"The guys are going to pick us up in a few minutes; I'll go grab the girls." Olivia commented swiftly before striding off towards the house.

Once the older blond was out of eyesight Rose rounded on her roommate. "Mind telling me what we're doing?"

It must be something good because Winry looked like whatever had been bothering her had been shoved to the back of her mind. "We are about to play extreme FT."

"FT?"

"Flashlight Tag." Her lips curled up at the edges, making her face light up. "Only we play a little differently than most people do. We play what we like to call team knockout. If you get tagged you must join the team of the person who tagged you, the last team standing wins."

It sounded like a children's game, but the innocent attempt at fun could be a welcomed change from the drama of her 'adult' life thus far.

About ten of the Kappa Delta girls joined them, she heard Winry express her disappointment that Gracia had decided not to join them. Rose recognized Riza, her former rho chi and felt a twinge of embarrassment. Did she know that her rho chi baby had only been initiated a few days before she was kicked out? It dawned on her that she hadn't even really tried to get to know Winry's sisters; about the only one she knew offhand was her rho chi.

A few pickup trucks followed by a battered explorer pulled up to the driveway. Moments later they were joined by the group of guys Olivia had contacted. Rose wearily eyed this new set of men; lately men were synonymous with trouble. A few had Greek letters on to her dismay; Kain was enough frat boy than she could handle at the moment. Just perfect, even the thought of him made her head spin. It was a twisted kind of fate; she had sacrificed a lot for something she wasn't even sure was real.

"Aye Armstrong!" A good looking guy jumped out of his truck and patted her on the back in a greeting that must have been exchanged numerous times because the stern looking woman hardly acknowledged the gesture.

"Buccaneer." She returned his greeting before flashing the rest of the guys a calculating look. "These your new initiates?"

Laughing loudly, the guy towered over her and yet he never looked down at them. "Some; don't worry Captain I brought your favorite."

Her eyes widened for a moment and Rose knew she had revealed it all without even realizing. The hard lines to her jaw and cheekbones softened as the guy in question finally signaled her from the truck bed of Buccaneers car. "It's been awhile since we did this, you still got it in you?"

Raising her eyebrows Olivia was truly in her glory. "I'm good at winning." She summed up cleanly.

Rose couldn't help but assess his well-toned body, his muscle mass nothing compared to Buccaneer but she could tell he was strong. His hair was pulled back in small ponytail, a kind of rouge existence that made him a clear challenger in winning someone like Olivia's heart. No wonder Winry's big sister suddenly seemed to glow under his gaze. As good as she was at being oblivious to good relationships, she had a sneaking suspicion she had just stumbled upon one in the making.

**(Winry POV)**

Winry had played once with Riza and Gracia, but she knew it was Olivia's extreme competitive nature that would push this particular game onto another level. Her roommate looked like she was on the verge of another breakdown when she had come home. Crazy how her own problems had suddenly seemed so insignificant. There was no way she was going to spend her time at college being depressed by dwelling on her shortcomings. The best she could hope for was to make the most of what she did have and work harder than ever. So she had called Olivia to get together a game of FT with Alpha Chi, a fraternity that boasted a good deal of its members from the University sport teams. Olivia happened to be captain of the football team, something Winry had only just discovered. Rebecca had mentioned something about making shirts for the Homecoming game the following week in support of their sister. It had floored her to find out her big sister was the best quarterback Central U had seen in years. Based on meeting and witnessing her sister with her two best guy friends Buccaneer and Miles she deduced that there was something a little different in the way she looked at Miles as opposed to Buccaneer; had he noticed?

Once they arrived at the darkened park they split into four teams. To pick teams they just counted off by fours and set off. Her team could best be described as wishful thinking. Somehow she had gotten stuck with four of her pledge class sisters who were novices to the game and their best hope for winning, Miles.

Between the giggling and inability of her goodhearted, but uncoordinated sisters their team dwindled down to two in record time. Not wanting to be the first team out she stuck to Miles like glue, hoping in the back of her mind that Rose was having fun.

The dark shadows loomed around them but she had learned from Miles it was best to keep your flashlight off until you were sure you had found a target. Leave it to a military science guy to turn a game into a tactical operation.

"Climb up."

Winry stared up at the tree and back at her teammate. "Excuse me?"

He put his hands out, "I'll give you a boast." He offered helpfully.

Trying to stifle her laughter she shook her head, "I can't believe I'm doing this."

After helping her up he managed to climb up himself. The two sat side by side watching the ground below them. "Don't you think we should be out looking for the others?"

Miles shrugged his shoulders surveying the area around them. "I'm glad I got partnered up with you."

Suddenly her body went rigid with fear. He wasn't coming on to her, was he? No no no no no. She had thought for sure that Olivia was his true objective, but sitting up in a tree in the middle of the dark kind of made her feel very childlike and naïve.

"I've wanted to ask you something ever since Olivia first introduced us."

Winry blanched, "Uh sometimes it's better if you wait. You know think about it a little more, let it mellow in your head before you say something you'll _regret_."

He chuckled softly, "Nah, I don't think I'll regret saying this."

"I think you will." She blurted out forcefully, as if she could halt his words with one look.

"I thought that if I said anything it might ruin the friendship I have with Olivia." He looked torn and Winry capitalized on this hesitance.

"Yes, yes it would ruin it."

His shoulders slumped as he pinched the bridge of his nose, "I just can't hold it back any longer, and I don't want to keep lying to her."

He stared at Winry and she felt her blood run cold, shit.

"I love her."

"How can you possibly love me…wait her?"

Not catching her misinterpretation he grinned like a love sick puppy. "I think I've been in love with Olivia ever since I met her."

"Why are you telling me this?" She questioned him though she couldn't help but smile in amusement.

Putting a hand behind the back of his head he looked sheepish. "I want to do something for her after the homecoming game next weekend, will you help me?"

She could tell just by looking at him that he was a good guy and all the misconstrued feelings she had felt were obviously directed at her big sister. A deep sense of relief and excitement covered the fresh wound she had been nursing. Maybe helping her sister would take her mind off the things she didn't want to think about. "It's time you stopped lying to Olivia, time to tell her how you feel…count me in!"

It was then that a light flashed up at them and before Winry could figure out who it was she watched Miles flip backwards off the branch.

Landing with a giant "ompf" and a flash of light, Winry realized they had just lost to Rose's team.

Her roommate was the first to laugh as Miles rubbed his bottom, obviously not too thrilled about the whole experience. But Winry had to agree with Rose and as it turned out the rest of the group as they all burst out into laughter.

"Very funny." Miles glared until it seemed he caught sight of Olivia who, while not on the ground laughing like the others, was in fact smiling.

"Looks like I win Miles." She bragged smartly.

He shared a knowing look with Winry before smiling back at the beautiful Armstrong, "The only woman I don't mind losing to."

**(Ed POV)**

It was a bittersweet moment as he pulled out of the parking spot and started to drive, she had fixed his car. In his head he could list a million reasons why he should stay, but it was the smaller reasons that keep him in doubt. Though he didn't want to hear it, he knew Hughes was right, he was holding back. Ever since his brother had saved his life, he couldn't let himself stay happy for long. It was a self limiting theory that he had placed upon himself, a debt he felt he owed his brother. But no matter how he looked at it all, he knew his brother would not have wanted this for him. Al hadn't saved his life for him to just throw it away, some people were always right…Hughes just might be one of them.

Parking the car he looked up at the intimidating hospital building. If his last visit taught him anything it was that he missed his little brother and he would keep fighting for him, keep believing in him till the end.

Walking the hallways he remembered how to get to his brothers room. Not even bothering to check in with the front desk he managed to sneak right on by. Opening the door he felt the grin wiped off his face, the overwhelming horror sinking its teeth into his neck and drawing all the blood from his body. Covering his mouth with his hand even he couldn't hold back the terrible gurgling sound that poured out of him. Stepping back outside the room he stared at the room number, the same one he had looked at days ago. His breath coming out in gasps he struggled to stand up straight.

"Sir are you alright?" A young nurse stared him down over the charts in her hands.

"Why didn't anyone tell me?" He tried to keep his voice from shuddering but it was useless.

He watched her glance at the room number, "Are you family of Mr. Elric?"

"Yes, I'm his brother." He would never say he _was_ his brother the past tense made it all seem so absolute and brutally final.

Her expression softened to a generic version of sympathy. "I thought you would be happy for him, this is what he wanted."

"Who the hell would want this?" He asked horrified at her indifference. Did she really see death so often that it didn't even bother her a little?

"Your father came in right after it happened, you should really be with your family at a time like this." She advised him.

"I have no family." He muttered darkly under his breath. This was it, the black ending that had been haunting him for the past few years. Someone wanted to see him suffer, to watch him slowly restore hi s faith in his brother and then tear it away.

"He asked for you." She asked, confusion written all over her face.

His jaw went slack; he had woken up before he died? "He asked for me?" He parroted back.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, "Your brother came out of a three year coma why in the world are you upset!" Raising her eyebrows she motioned for him to shoo; "Now you have no business clogging up my hallways. Like I said, you should be with your family at a time like this."

Still feeling a little shell shocked he leaned against the wall with his hand. "Where…where is he?"

"He's on the second floor in recovery…"

He never heard the rest of her statement; he was already running full speed down the stairs.

**(Winry POV)**

She had had some time to cool off and set her head straight, but it was what it was. It was going to be hell; sitting at their lab table only inches from him was going to feel like hell. A small part of her wondered if he wasn't even going to show up, hadn't he claimed he was going to drop out, leave this all behind. She thought of all that she had done to get into Central University and knew without a doubt she could never just give up. Leaving Gran behind had been the only part of her decision that she still from time to time doubted. Her grandmother was perfectly capable of taking care of herself, but that didn't meant Winry didn't worry for her.

Sitting down on the tall stool she pulled out her lecture notes and began to pull out supplies to match the experiment they were supposed to be performing for the day. Give her biology, physics, earth science…anything but chemistry. If Ed didn't show up she wasn't so confident she could continue to pull top marks.

Feeling dejected she sank her head into the cup of her hand, leaning her elbow on the countertop.

"Winry?"

The hairs on the back of her neck stood up for a second. Sitting up straighter she looked up to find the young man from her Xingese History course staring at her. Not who she was expecting. His smile grew larger as he stole the seat next to her.

"I told you I was in your chemistry class." Zolf continued as if she had answered him. "I see your lab partner isn't here today."

It felt like the world had switched to slow motion as she looked around for Ed. "Looks that way." She replied in a flat voice. But it wasn't today she was worried about it was the time after that and the time after that.

"Lucky for you my lab partner isn't here either. Care if I join you?" He asked sweetly.

The lab was the last thing on her mind, but she couldn't say no when he was being nice. She should be thankful that she didn't have to do the work alone. Though after some time working with him on the lab she was beginning to think differently.

It was a disaster to say the least; her unfocused mind had set them back several steps until they were the only ones left in the room. He must have patience of a god; she shook her head as their tenth try fizzled and bubbled out the tube. "Bet you regret picking me as your lab partner." She muttered self depreciatingly.

"No." He replied quickly a smile still looking rather foreign to his face. "It wasn't a complete waste. What do you say we ditch this lab and grab some lunch?"

A tiny part at her did shrink away from the offer, but he had helped her out. Overall he seemed like a nice guy and he was offering to take her to lunch, how bad could it be? A nagging feeling of guilt set over her but she shook it off. She wasn't dating anyone; there was no reason why she couldn't go out for a nice lunch with a nice guy. It all made sense in her head, but for whatever reason her heart didn't feel quite as sure.

**(Rose POV)**

Rose talked animatedly with one of Winry's sisters she had met while playing FT the other night as they walked out of their English course.

"I can't believe we never talked before." Rebecca announced as if even the idea of it was ludicrous.

Rose wondered for what felt like the tenth time that day why she hadn't even thought of joining Kappa Delta. "Thank god you are in this class with me, I was afraid I was going to have to do that project with Chelsea."

Rebecca made a face similar to her own, "That girl couldn't tell Drachma from Aerugo."

So lost in their conversation she missed the staring eyes following her as they walked and the countless pieces of paper that were being blown around the ground. Rose didn't see them until Rebecca dropped down to the ground to pick one up. The black and white flyer chilled her to the bone, her heart stopping on sight.

"Rose? What is this?" Rebecca looked stunned as she picked up the piece of paper.

Hands shaking Rose stared at the dozens of pieces of paper, each of them branded with humiliation. Before the tears began to blur her vision she stared at the photocopy and recognized not only the incriminating position she was in, but the man she was in it with. He was pointing at whoever had taken the picture, his grin telling her everything she needed to know.

Crumpling up the flier she felt the tears stream down her face, "I've got to go." She mumbled before she streaked across the courtyard as fast as her legs would take her. There was no doubt who was behind the terrible photo and of course who had ruthlessly labeled it with the word whore.

The room was empty, Winry must have stayed late in her lab. Feeling the embarrassment and shame slowly melt away to anger she dialed a familiar number on her phone.

"Babe." He answered almost cheerfully.

Rose couldn't stand his lies, how could he stand there and watch her go down in flames? "Whatever we had, whatever it was, it's over now."

**(Breda POV)**

Of all the people to come knocking at the front door at 4 in the morning Edward was probably a little farther down on the list, Havoc and a few other brothers were usually out at this time. There were two benefits to living on the first floor. Having to answer the door at all hours of the night was not one of them, though being first in line for meals did have its worth.

Rubbing his eyes he stifled a yawn as he opened the door. "Come on in." He mumbled through his sleepy haze. He didn't need to ask why his former pledge had come; he wouldn't mention that Roy had a similar story under his belt. "Roy's upstairs; probably still awake too."

When Ed just stood there Breda rolled his eyes, "Listen Ed either you man up and ask to come back or you walk out that door. Either way I'm going back to sleep." He wouldn't admit it, but he was glad the kid was back.

**(Kain POV)**

She licked at his navel, her nose wrinkling up. "Your skin tastes salty." She mused before pulling out a package from her pants pocket.

He wanted to laugh, she came prepared did she? He shoved away her hand, "Never used a condom in my life sweetheart."

Looking perplexed the younger girl flipped her hair over her shoulder, the blush still staining her cheeks. "I'm not getting knocked up for a one night stand!" Her speech wasn't slurred but he could still smell the alcohol on her breath. The whole scenario was getting rather tiresome.

"Either we do it now or you can get your ass the hell out of my room." He commented shrewdly.

Looking offended she threw him what he could imagine was a loathsome stare. He watched her pull her shirt back on and stomp her way out of his room before slamming his door behind her. It didn't bother him to see her go; maybe Rose's call had affected him more than he thought. Whatever, he had to get up early in the morning for his appointment anyways. It would be an early night for him, but as he laid his head down he found it hard to sleep.

He didn't need the alarm to wake him up; a coughing fit pulled him out of his sleep well enough. "Perfect."

Pulling on his sweats he knew it would take the usual 15 minutes to get to the hospital. Afterwards he figured he should work on getting one of his brothers to bungee jump off the Gateway Bridge. The closer to death he got by his own hands the more in control he felt over what was happening to him. As for Rose it was probably for the best that she hated him, she didn't need to follow him along this path. He thought about Kelli and Regina, twins might be another way of getting his mind off of Rose.

Walking the second floor he searched for the cute nurse that usually manned the front desk. A little shameless flirting might put him into a good mood, though the nurses here were not always his favorite. He was about to give up on her when he heard her voice come out of a close room. Maybe he could just peek in?

The sight inside the room brought him up short, he recognized that guy. No way, he knew that alumni. "Van Hohenheim!" He called through the open door.

The older man peered at him over his glasses before rising to meet him. No wonder he knew that face, this guy had been his fraternity's advisor for the past couple of years. As president he had often had to try and weasel his way out of problems with the university. Having alum like Van Hohenheim was an incredible advantage.

Covering his mouth he couldn't hold back the seizure of coughs that constricted him for a moment nor did he miss the looks on everyone's face, all except the patient in the room. He knew the nurse knew and perhaps Van did too, but at least the boy in the bed didn't seem to share their pathetic empathy.

Sensing the topic of conversation would have to be forced he felt the need to point out the spectator. "That your son?"

Smiling Hohenheim nodded his head, a tender look casting his face in a fatherly like role for a moment.

"What's your poison?"He directed comically towards the kid.

His voice sounded like it hadn't been used in awhile. "Came out of a coma." He proclaimed proudly through chapped lips.

Not at all abashed he looked him over, "You look like shit, but eating this hospital food will do that to ya. Might want to start ordering in."

The nurse clicked her tongue in reprimand. "Now Kain don't you go corrupting my patient."

"Yeah right." He smirked at the younger boy, "Don't let her fool you she once brought me food from Alexander's down the street!"

The nurse blushed heavily looking beaten for the moment. "Shouldn't you be checking in with Dr. Marcoh?"

"Alright I'm going, I'm going."

"Wait, Kain." Hohenheim stopped him from leaving. "How's Ed holding up?"

Ed, who the hell was Ed? "Ed?"

"My son," He amended, "My older son, I was told he joined Greek Life."

"Uh…"Kain tried to think of what his pledges names had been, usually he just numbered them, made it easier to keep track.

Laughing loudly Van patted him on the back, "I'm not going to get you in trouble; I know how hell week works. I just want to know how he likes it so far."

Something told him Van's son wasn't very honest with his father; looks like he would be the one to drop the bomb. "There is no Ed in our fraternity." Then it hit him, there was a golden haired guy who looked remarkably like Hohenheim. "Wait, is your son Edward Elric?"

"Yes."

Fucking A, of all the legacies to miss how had they let Van's son get taken by BTA? This was not going to look good on his part. "Ed didn't join us; he's a Beta Tau Alpha."

**(Miles POV)**

In one word she was tough. She was one of those girls that never ceased to amaze the world around her and surpass every obstacle that came her way. It shouldn't have surprised him that he might one day find her to be his complete undoing. They had met before the start of their freshman year at Central University; they had both landed spots on the football team. He remembered how the others had snickered behind her back, placing bets on how long she'd last in a league that had only one female player…her. It was probably this initial sense of being outcasts that brought them together. She fought the stigma of her gender and he his race. The war with Ishval was long over, but where there is ignorance hate certainly isn't far behind.

He grinned as he followed in her wake, the smooth and steady pace of their run accelerating as they neared the end. Four years they had been teammates and good friends. He liked to think they had a good thing going between them.

Once they finally hit their street he watched as she slowed her step and began to cool down. Breathing heavily he finally caught up to her, pulling his shirt up to wipe away the sweat.

"You must really enjoy looking at my backside." She remarked calmly as she stretched slowly.

It was hard to not notice the toned muscles that pushed out as she continued to stretch. No one could deny she had one hell of a body. "Are you implying something or are you just trying to insult my athleticism?" He replied back just as nonchalantly.

It was rare but he caught the silent laughter in her eyes as she smiled at him. They continued to walk down the infamous Greek row, the street with every fraternity and sorority house. It had come as a shock to him that Olivia had joined a sorority but after finding about her great great grandmothers hand in founding the chapter he understood the importance it held in her life. In fact she had been the one to convince him to join a fraternity.

"How's Alpha Chi holding up?" She asked plainly as if it was just business, but he knew her better than that. She did actually care about things; she just didn't like to show it.

Most of the football players had joined AX (A/N: in the Greek alphabet X is pronounced chi) including himself and Buccaneer. They usually dominated the world of Greek intramural sports, except for soccer. Somehow the small footwork needed was not something some of the bigger guys in his fraternity could get used to, especially when tackling was not allowed.

He thought about it for a moment, "Eh you know how it is; the guys are getting restless until football season is over."

Even though most of the football team was in the fraternity a good number of the men weren't and they didn't appreciate the no party rule until the season was over. Olivia narrowed her eyes shrewdly, "You are the president of Alpha Chi Miles, don't let them forget it."

"Yeah, sometimes I don't think I'm really cut out to be a leader." He knew without a shadow of a doubt she would have his brothers whipped into shape without much difficulty. Shrugging his shoulders he looked over his shoulder at her, wondering if this comfortable friendship between them would ever lead to something more.

"We should get some sleep, the big game is this weekend and I want to get in a full day of training tomorrow." Standing up she looked like she was going to part ways as they always did when suddenly she stopped. Turning around she took the time to actually smile at him. He felt it as soon as she did it, they might not have much to say to each other but it was more than enough. "For what it's worth I think you're a great president."

Part of him wondered if this confidence booster was the truth or if she was intentionally trying to build it up for the sake of winning the Homecoming game. Well, whatever her intentions he still had a goofy grin on his face as he walked back to his fraternity house. Perhaps in the euphoria of a victory he might actually find the courage to let her know exactly why he didn't mind running behind her. With a little help from her little sister he was going to finally make his move.

**(Ed POV)**

To say he was a little disappointed wouldn't be entirely fair, but after three years of waiting you could hardly blame him for being frustrated that his brother was asleep when he finally found him. Walking in he sat on the window ledge, watching people come and go out to the back parking lot.

"Brother?"

His eyes widened, the relief stretching to every part of his body as he slowly came back to life. "Al." He answered as if just his name could bring back years worth of lost time. "How do you feel?" It was probably a stupid question to ask someone who hadn't felt anything for three years, but it was better than what he really wanted to ask.

"Stiff, old." He spouted off, a large grin on his face marking the words for the farce they were.

"You are old." He joked though he wasn't really in the mood. "Did dad bring you up to speed on life as we know it?"  
There it was the look he had been waiting for, an undeniable look of love that he didn't deserve. "I heard that you fought for me."

Ed took a deep breath, trying to find the words to describe how backwards this conversation felt. He corrected his brother. "You fought for me first."

A nurse came in at that point, looked at different machines, and made a few notes before smiling at his younger brother. "Well Alphonse all things considered you are doing wonderful. I'll be back in a few hours to check up on you ok?" She looked over her shoulder, her gaze falling onto Ed who had tried to sink into the backdrop. "And if I am correct visiting hours are over in a few minutes…"

Ed opened his mouth to rebuttal but she held up her hand to silence him. "Don't worry I talked with Nurse Taylor and according to her I should be taking a coffee break soon so I shouldn't be back to escort you out." Sending him a meaningful wink she exited the room. Ed didn't mind the nurses here so much anymore, they were good people.

"Never thought you'd be good with the ladies."

Ed nearly choked on his own saliva, "What?"

Al chuckled, "I'm just kidding, but there is something different about you."

He had aged in three years; he hoped he had grown taller in that time as well. "I'm three years older, graduated from high school and now I'm at Central University, I'd like to think I'm different from the brother you knew."

"Are you happier?" Al asked, the scared look on his face telling Ed that he had not forgotten the scene three years ago.

"Now that you're back with us? Of course I'm happier."

"But?" Al prompted reading him as well as a cliché ending to a book.

"You would think by now I would have learned how to fix things, but I think I'm only good at breaking them." His attention once solely on his brother had now traveled to a beautiful blond, a group of friends and a degree that he had all but thrown away. "Funny thing is I met someone who knows how to fix practically everything."

Al's expression saddened and Ed knew exactly why he was staring at his arm and leg.

"I'm sorry brother if only I hadn't lost control…"

"Al!" He shouted his brother's name making the younger man jump. "None of this is your fault, you hear me?"

Sensing his brother still wasn't convinced; without really thinking into it too much he drew out his phone and showed him a picture. "You see her?"

Al raised his eyebrows, "That's your girlfriend?"

"No, but I want her to be." Wow, even he didn't see that coming, but it felt good to actually say it aloud. "Now the thing about Winry is she loves automail. So already I know I have about a 50% chance that she likes me. Without this arm and leg I would have 0%, besides I can do a lot of cool stuff with this arm and leg."

"Can I meet her?" Al asked excitedly and Ed was reminded that he must feel rather lonely, especially after not talking to anyone for three years.

Sighing he slouched down onto the side of the bed, making sure not to crush his brother. "I don't think she wants to talk to me right now."

"What did you do?"

Feeling indignant he crossed his arms and glared at Al, "What makes you think it was me that did anything?"

Al raised an eyebrow and Ed knew he had a good point. "She overheard me telling Havoc that all she was to me was a mechanic."

"Is that what she is to you?"

"No." He stated longingly, "She is much, much more to me than that."

"Have you told her this?" He pointed out realistically. Man he made it sound so simple. "Maybe you should tell her." He offered.

Ed patted his brother gently on the shoulder as he stood up. "You should probably get some rest."

"And you should go talk to Winry."

"Did all that sleep make you an expert on relationships?" He joked.

"No, but I never seen you look at a girl the way you looked at that picture. I don't think that's something you should throw away. Will you bring her here to see me?"

Ed couldn't deny his brother, "Yeah yeah, I'll see ya round brother."

He would make good on his word not just for Al's sake, or for the circumstance that held his membership to BTA but for the girl who had brought him back to life just as his brother had.

* * *

**A/N:** Don't worry Roy, Riza, Gracia and Hughes will be ready to duke it out next chapter. I swear I never meant for this Olivia and Miles thing, it just sort of took over and once I started I couldn't stop! I think they would have been good together.

**Next Chapter: Homecoming**

Will Ed be able to win Winry over so easily or has a new guy replaced him...

Can Rose fight back against an entire sorority?

Will the end of the football game determine the outcome between Olivia and Miles?

Can Riza finally come clean with her sisters about her and Roy...will they forgive her lies?


	11. Homecoming: Part One

**A/N:** Wow thanks for continuing to read this and all the reviews! I didn't think anyone would stick with this story so this is a nice surprise. Thanks again, you are all wonderful!

* * *

**Chapter 11: Homecoming Part 1**

**(Winry POV)**

She refused to submit to this kind of underhanded trickery. That and Winry had a sneaking suspicion that there were far more culprits in this operation than the one standing outside Tony's Garage. It was infuriating that her coworkers seemed to have joined the bandwagon. The whole situation was a set up and she was not going to fall for it.

"Hey Rockbell, he says he won't leave until you talk to him." Sam chuckled as he leaned against the hood of the car.

Winry slid out from under it, tools still in hand as she looked up at him. Sam had always been a little on the wild side with his unsettled brown hair and rough exterior. In other words his tattoo covered body and the many holes and piercings did not paint a very casual or ordinary man. Winry had a feeling the whole earring situation was what first warmed him up to her. Now that she had gotten past his bad boy looks she had found his sense of humor and easy going attitude a comfort at work. But today it was irritating and frankly she was pissed he wasn't standing up for her. "This is work and I need to be working. Do me a favor then, tell him if he's waiting for me he's going to be waiting a hell of a long time."

"Aw come on Rockbell cant you give a guy a break?" Sam whined, his facial expression betraying the menacing details inked on his arm.

"Whose side are you on?" She asked in disbelief.

Smirking he put his foot on the roller to keep her from going back to work, "I know a broken man when I see one, and this guy, whatever he did, he's sorry."

"You're not going to leave me alone are you?" She asked in exasperation, her plan of getting to the Olderson's rusted axel squished.

"Go talk to him." He countered.

Irritated, she dropped her tools and threw her gloves on the ground. "Sam, one day I am going to get you back for this."

"Yeah." He muttered, "And one day you are going to thank me for this."

A part of her hoped he had given up, three hours was an awfully long time to wait. Shrugging out of the sleeves of her work suit she tied the arms around her waist, forgetting for a moment how little she was wearing below it. Pushing the bandana off her head she balled it into her hand and crossed her arms, ready to fight whatever he might say to her.

**(Ed POV)**

Prior to the three hours he had been waiting for her, he had thought long and hard about exactly what he was going to say to her. In fact he had rehearsed the conversation so many times in his mind he was almost convinced he had it down to a science. But then she walked out and his hormones knocked any kind of coherent thought from his brain. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail, a few stray strands lying against her face. When she pulled the bandana off her head as she walked he had to remind himself to breath. Holy hell…was that a tube top? In the bright sun he watched as a line of black oil ran off a strand of her hair to trail down her chest through her cleavage…

"You waited all that time to just stare at me?" Her voice was harsh and he knew she had her guard up. All things considered he couldn't blame her.

"Winry…I uh" He cleared his throat, embarrassed by the boyish stutter. Just one look at her made him regret every word her had ever uttered that could hurt her. "My brother's awake."

Why the hell should she care about his brother when he had given her no reason to care about him? Apologize on his hands and knees; beg mercifully for her to forgive him…that had been his first plan. So why he had just blown it was crazy. He half expected her to turn right back around and walk away.

But it looked like this simple phrase had taken the wind out of her sails. The lines across her forehead smoothed out and she exhaled. "He's okay?"

His throat tightened as he watched the look of relief on her face, she did care. "Yes…he's going to be okay."

As if she had come back to her senses, her expression steeled once again. "Does this mean you're going to stay in school or do you still want to pretend like this means nothing to you?"

Her voice was so cold he almost forgot who he was talking to, but he knew who she was, and he knew what he had done to make her act this way. "I never wanted to leave… I was stupid to believe that I could try."

"Well I'm glad your brothers okay and I'm happy to be of service to you." She recited in a bland tone. "If your car breaks down again." She gestured towards the garage behind her, "You can always find me here. Excuse me, I've got work to do."

He could tell she was drifting further from his grasp and it scared him, he needed her. "You owe me one day."

Her eyes widened in surprise before they narrowed again, "Owe you?" She repeated incredulously.

"Those passes to the amusement park, they only work if you go with me. Since I carried you to the finish line, you owe me at least one day." It was a long shot and he was grateful she didn't have any tools in her hands, but it was the only shot he had.

Her mouth twitched, "I'm only your mechanic." She said slowly, enunciating each word as her eyes flashed. "Or don't you remember your own words?"

It was his opening and if he didn't take it now he knew he would never be able to salvage their friendship. "You know me better than that," He urged her to stay with him, to believe what he couldn't quite say. "I ruin the best things in my life…and you are one of the best things in my life."

"Please, come with me?" He asked her again.

In the short time they had been close, he had seen an expression like this on her more than enough to recognize she was fighting with herself. "I…I've got work to do." She finished half-heartedly.

"I'm taking your shift tomorrow." A guy from the shop announced loudly, peaking his head out the opened garage door to the front.

"_Sam_." Winry replied, her voice a distinct warning.

If he wasn't helping him out Ed might have been jealous that this guy was also staring at Winry.

"I need the extra cash Rocky, come on are you going to let my kids starve?"

"You don't have any kids." She argued back.

His mouth turned up at an odd angle, like he was suppressing a grin. "No, but if I did this shift could mean the difference between life and death. So what do you say Rockbell are you going to give me your shift or not?"

She glanced between him and Ed; he could have sworn she wanted to smile too. "You _owe_ me Sam."

Sam laughed loudly before returning to the shop, "Yeah yeah you just wait."

"I'll pick you up at 10am?" He suggested hopefully. Lucky for him she chose to wait till after he spoke to put her hands on her hips, it just made her bust stick out that much more. She was the sort of beautiful that radiates and he was feeling incredibly insignificant standing so close.

"10am?" She repeated.

He nodded his head, hoping he had enough good karma for one more miracle in his life.

"Fine."

And just like that she turned and went back to work leaving Ed standing in the parking lot grinning like an idiot.

**(Kain POV)**

"Every last one." He barked unpleasantly, his fists clenched at his sides. He suppressed the wave of coughs that threatened to take him under. The doctors warning was useless to him, he would be damned if he was going to pussy foot around for the rest of what life he did have left. Sending a fiery stare at his pledges he scrunched up the flier at his feet and threw it away. As soon as one of his brothers had posted one in the house he had lost it. It was clear that this was what had upset Rose, though a part of him was rather proud of his own image. Maybe it was out of habit, but he still felt rather smug about this particular conquest.

Damien, who had taken the picture in the first place, looked distraught. Kain rounded on him as soon as the guy had the guts to approach him. Poor guy, if this had been any other girl, at any other time he would have found it hilarious.

"Hey man." Damien greeted him nervously.

Pressing his lips together he willed himself to not laugh at the comical display of fear in front of him. He wasn't really pissed about the photo; it was the word across the front that had set him off. "I want a name." He answered coolly.

"You're not going to like it." He answered slowly as if he already knew how he would react.

Kain usually liked the guy; he was spontaneous and had a desire for the crazier things in life, one night out with Damien made you feel like you were invincible. "And you're not going to like cleaning all the bathrooms for a year. Totem's a bitch."

Damien paled, his eyes growing larger as he took in the serious tone. Walking towards another poster he didn't need to look behind him to know Damien was following like a dog with its tail between its legs. It was obvious whoever had tricked the photo out of him had it out to get Rose and he knew who had it in them to do it. There was one person who was not only capable but motivated enough to follow through with it.

"Just tell me, was it Noa?"

"Are you still going to make me clean the bathrooms for a year?" Totem in a fraternity was a strange but powerful thing. Every year that you had been a member of the fraternity coupled with the level of position you held determined just who could pull rank or totem over one another. Right now with his super senior status and his position as president he was untouchable.

"Not if you tell me who it was." He replied curtly, not in the mood for guessing games.

"Dude I had no idea…" He began but faltered when he saw the look on his brother's face. "Noa said she just needed to check her email for a second. The next thing I know the picture I took is on posters all around school. I swear I didn't do this man, I don't even know that chick!"

Kain patted his brother on the shoulder, no use beating on someone for being stupid. "I know, now go help the pledges clean this shit up."

Damien looked a little relieved to be off the chopping block but he still eyed the task with distaste. "You drive a hard bargain brother, but I can't wait to totem someone like you do." He looked at the nearest pledge. "Hey you, you're good at math aren't you?"

The pledge looked like he had a found a compliment in there somewhere because he smiled, "Yeah I'm pretty good at Math."

Damien grinned at Kain letting him know there were no hard feelings in any of this. "Good because if I'm stuck out here picking up my mistakes someone's got to do my Calc project."

**(Rose POV)**

Rose braced herself as she went to walk out of the dorm towards the science building where her psychology class was held. The last time she had attempted to cross the gap she had been bombarded with the image of herself and the proud exclamation and damnation in the form of the word whore. Not even one full semester into college and already she had been humiliated in a million different ways. The worst part about the situation was how alone she felt. With her sorority sisters obviously plotting against her she had been relying on her roommate an awful lot. At first she had pitied her roommate, thinking that she had it so much better. No matter how trustworthy Winry was, Rose still managed to find excuses to keep her in the dark. She wasn't sure she wanted Winry to see the picture, probably because she knew a part of her would break if her roommate said what she was fighting to ignore…that she was in a whore. She didn't need anyone else's help to know she had brought a lot of this on herself but that didn't make the night seem any less lonely.

Taking a deep breath she exhaled and prepared herself for the vicious scene before her; waiting for the bombardment of humiliation to wash over her once again.

That was when she saw him waiting outside her dorm, a single flower in his hand and for a second she thought maybe she was dreaming.

"Rose." He called to her, the flower in his hand spinning as he twisted it in his grip.

Scanning the courtyard her mouth dropped open, there wasn't a single flier up. That and Kain was waiting for her with a flower…something was defiantly wrong. But since this was a dream and all she walked right up to him, pleased that her dream version of Kain seemed so real.

When she got close enough he handed her the flower, a lopsided smirk resting on his lips. "A rose, for a Rose."

Accepting the flower she smiled at him, "How original, did you do all this?"

Of course her dream man would say the answer she was waiting for. "I had my pledges tear down every last one."

Oh she was smitten all right, so enthralled she didn't even mind when he grabbed her chin and pulled her in for a kiss. Except that was probably when she realized she wasn't dreaming.

Pulling back she touched her lips, the tingle on them far too real for her to ignore. "You're not a dream?" She stated awkwardly.

"Some might disagree with you." He amended, the cocky part of his personality never hesitating.

Despite the vain note, she found his charm increasingly unavoidable and appealing. However, there was something else bothering her that she wanted him to confirm. "It's not going to stop is it?"

"What's not going to stop?"

"Noa and all the Alpha Zeta's; they are going to continue to find ways to humiliate me aren't they?" She exhaled in frustration.

"They're just a bunch of girls, don't sweat it. You got me, don't you?"

He sounded so upbeat and optimistic even she almost believed it. "You make it all sound so simple, why are you trying so hard to make me like you?"

Leaning forward he smashed his lips over hers, a kind of dominance and force that made her feel weak in the knees.

"Does that answer your question?" He said huskily, his hot breath still touching her face.

"I don't know…" She grinned lazily, "Show me again."

**(Riza POV)**

To say that Central's greatest rival was Rush Valley University was drastically understating things. The two had been in competition since they had been established. Rush Valley was an engineering school that rivaled even the tech schools of the north while Central was a little more on the prestigious side, inviting in students with a vast array of majors. For almost six years RVU had been dominating the world of college football, but then again college football had yet to see the team Central had put together. Top heavy with seniors dying to make their last play, Olivia along with teammates Miles and Buccaneer, held the best records in the league.

Riza watched as Olivia stretched out in the living room, the girl was in the zone. No one had heard a peep out of her since Thursday and with the big game on Saturday morning she really shouldn't be so surprised. Things had been pretty crazy at the house, girls had been in and out all day making banners and coming to wish Olivia good luck. Currently she was helping Rebecca plan for homecoming on Saturday including tailgating as well as the shirt competition. The competition between sororities for the best homecoming shirts was something they were taking very seriously this year, in part because they didn't want to let Olivia down. This year they had ordered low V-neck fitted T-shirts in royal blue. The front said 'Central Homecoming' and the back would have bold printed words stating 'in KD we Believe' with Olivia's jersey number underneath.

There were a lot of good reasons why she should be so involved in the work this year, but none of them really touched the real reason she was doing it. This was not her cup of tea and she knew it never would be. Decorating and designing were two things she couldn't really be bothered with, but she was betting Gracia who was all about this kind of stuff, to be there today. Her friend had not spoken to her in two days… which felt like a lifetime. With the influx of sisters into the house it made it all that much harder to get her alone so that they could talk. She remembered the conversation in the bathroom and how devastatingly heartbroken she had looked upon catching sight of the lavaliere around her neck. It wasn't jealousy, she knew Gracia better than that. In hindsight she should have just told her because now it was a complete betrayal. In her euphoria of being asked she had forgotten the secret she had been withholding. She had never once told anyone she even liked him, of course her friend would feel betrayed…she had been keeping this a secret from her for a long time.

Kappa Delta was a different kind of sorority, they were probably the only one in which its members could say with all honesty that they were close. It was their strongest trait and it allowed the entire chapter to figure out very quickly that something was up. Gracia was normally a ray of sunshine, on even the worst of days, so seeing her look so down and depressed threw everyone off. There were already rumors that Hughes had done or said something to her.

Riza looked up, walking through the front doors struggling with a large box was just the person she was looking for. Practically sprinting over, Riza helped her carry the box into the living room.

"Thanks." Gracia mumbled.

Riza felt her stomach drop; Gracia looked like she hadn't gotten sleep in a few days. "Gracia…"She muttered not sure how to begin, "I was going to tell you."

"Were you?" Gracia asked doubtfully, the hurt etched into her face. "You know, I have always been rooting for you two and not once did you see it fit to tell me about this. Don't best friends tell each other everything…how could you not have said anything?"

Riza glanced around the room; their raised voices had drawn the attention of the entire room. "You know what my father did to me…" She replied weakly, "If he had found out about Roy and I, he could have ruined Roy's entire career."

Everyone had fallen silent, even Olivia was on her feet, her eyes flashing. She could feel the weight of all the eyes on her.

"What are you talking about?" Olivia asked her eyes narrowed.

"Roy lavaliered me."

There was a collective gasp from the girls, a few mouths gaping open while others smirked as if they had known it all along. The worst looks came from Rebecca, Olivia and Gracia. This time she had really hurt her best friends.

"How long have you been with him?" Olivia asked testily, her fist clenching as if she wanted to punch something.

Maybe Olivia could knock her out so she could escape all the stares. "Since the summer."

Making a face Olivia muttered something under her breath before simply shrugging her shoulders. "Can't say I didn't see this coming, guess I should say congrats." Her fist clenched again, "But if that womanizing little prick so much as looks at another girl I'm going to take him down."

The rest of the girls laughed as one by one they came up to congratulate her. Even though this wasn't exactly how she wanted it to all play out she did have to admit a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders. When her sisters finally calmed back down she knew there was one person who had slipped out the back door.

Walking through the sliding glass door onto the back deck she stood next to Gracia. "I'm so sorry."

Riza felt ashamed of herself as she watched Gracia quickly rub away the wet trails down her face.

Looking defeated she finally smiled up at her, "I'm not mad at you." Her voice quivered, "I just wish you felt like you could have told me. You need to work on being a better friend if you are going to be my maid of honor."

"I won't ever do this…wait what?" Had she heard her right?

Gracia sniffed, brushing away the tears that had fallen. "Maybe you should work on your hearing too." She joked back before laughing through her tears. "I want you to be my maid of honor Riza. I want my best friend, my sister, to be the person beside me on the most important day of my life."

"You won't make me wear a hideous dress will you?" Riza asked in good humor.

A sneaky grin caught her friend's expression, "It would be a good pay back for not telling me about you and Roy but no, we'll find something perfect."

The two hugged tightly, "Now that you and Roy are together you do realize that Maes is going to say I told you so? I guarantee he's going to bug you two for a set wedding date, he loves playing cupid."

Marriage? Definitely not in the near future, that was for sure. Being lavaliered hinted at that particular option, but she was confident that neither of them were prepared for that kind of giant step. Gracia and Maes were different. They were a year older, four years into their relationship, and about to graduate. Anyone with a brain could see marriage was the next step for them.

"I don't think we need to worry about marriage for a _long_ time."

"So what do you say? Will you be my Maid of Honor?" Gracia asked her.

She didn't need any time to think it over, this was a no brainer. "I would be honored to be in your wedding."

This might have been the last thing she expected, but seeing her friend smile again was a huge relief. She was going to do whatever it took to make sure Gracia had the most perfect wedding a girl could ask for because she more than deserved it.

**(Ed POV)**

With the homecoming game on Saturday and their lab cancelled for Friday, Ed couldn't have asked for a better start to his weekend. Okay, so maybe going to an amusement park with a beautiful girl was a good enough reason by itself.

The drive wasn't too bad, though he couldn't help but sneak glances at the sleeping girl next to him. She looked like she had been up late; a few drops of blue paint were still visible on her arm. He knew she had been working with her sisters on banners for the homecoming game late the night before. The signs were hanging out to dry in front of the Kappa Delta house as they drove by. It felt weird, by now he assumed he knew her like the back of his hand, but it was times like these that he couldn't help but wonder just how beautiful she really was on the inside. He had never met anyone quite like her. She fixed things and she had a way of making everything turn out better than it had before. No wonder her sisters adored her, she was incredible. He stifled a laugh and just smiled; even though he was pretty sure she was drooling as she slept, he still thought she was cute.

Arriving early they managed to hit the rides before the crowds really started to roll in. With the end of summer the parks hours had been changed to the weekend and seeing as it was a Friday he had been worried that it would be packed. He was about to ask her what ride she wanted to go on first when he really caught a good look at her. Winry was completely speechless; her eyes wide and shinning as she looked at the metal beast of a structure in front of them.

"Look at it!" She squealed in awe, "This is what engineering dreams are made of!" She exclaimed as the gears and levers worked together to pull the car up the steep incline.

Ed didn't comment; his stomach had dropped to the floor. He had never been on a rollercoaster before, but suddenly the idea didn't seem so brilliant anymore.

A muffled giggle startled him out of his fear induced coma. Reeling he would have given anything to see this laughing version of Winry a few days ago but now as she laughed at his obvious newfound phobia he wasn't so amused.

"Ed, are you scared of rollercoaster's?" She asked in playful disbelief.

"Nah." He lied; the sweat dropping as he said it.

A mischievous look in her eye reminded him that she was a stubborn girl, a stubborn girl who was cute enough to get what she wanted. He let her drag him towards the ride, ignoring the rolling of his stomach in exchange for the warmth he felt as she pulled his hand.

Winry sat on the railing as they waited in line, her head tipped back in the sunlight. It would have been a nice sight if he hadn't of caught the lude grins from a group of guys who looked at the way her chest stuck out a little more, he neck exposed as her closed eyes stared unseeing up to the sky. When one of the guys looked like he was about to make contact with her he threw caution to the wind. Putting his arm around her waist he picked her up off the railing and pulled her to his side.

"Ed?" she asked though a bewildered smile.

Clearing his throat he let her waist go. "The lines moving up."

Winry eyed the stagnate line. It looked like she was going to point out the obvious but with a small smile she pretended not to notice. Although he had let her go, she stayed by his side and his wasn't the first or last time she did it either.

Ten coasters later he was convinced that he would never, EVER come back to a theme park. Whoever thought it would be fun to ride with a tiny strap at over 80 miles an hour while they dropped and flipped you upside down was crazy. He decided that Winry was definitely one of those crazy people.

"Ow, ow, ow." Winry rubbed her temple as she put her ice cream down.

Oh how the mighty had fallen! Laughing in amusement he leaned forward to wipe the spot of ice cream off her cheek. "Brain freeze?"

Her mouth formed a tiny, pouting frown. "It hurts."

And then her face started to redden. For having a brain freeze her cheeks were pretty red. That was when he realized that while his thumb had rubbed across her cheek to catch the spot of ice cream; his hand remained long after the spot was gone.

His own ice cream lay discarded on the bench next to him just as Winry laid hers down. She leaned in closer to him her face continuing to burn almost as bad as his own. Her head tilted and he knew what would follow. Closing his eyes he waited but all he felt was the gentle touch of fingertips to his chin. Reluctantly he opened his eyes again.

"Ice cream, on your chin." She admitted finally.

A little embarrassed by the thoughts that were coursing through his head he sat back. He wasn't sure what made him do it, but smearing ice cream all over her face had just seemed like a good idea at the time. Maybe it was also a little payback for making him ride all those rides and then teasing him with an almost kiss. "Oh, looks like you have some more on your face."

Either she was going to beat him to death or she might just beat him to an inch of his life. Sometimes his ideas were not entirely well thought out.

The skin at the corner of her eyes crinkled as her face split into a grin. "Oh you are so on."

Laughing they both ended up having to survive the stares as they walked back up to the convenient store stand, covered in ice cream, to get some napkins.

As the park began to close Ed was grateful for the massive crowd that bucked and pushed them around. On any other day he would have been pissed and pushed back, but not today. Today Winry was holding onto his arm, the crowd pinning her to his side. It would be easy to fall for this girl.

**(Hughes POV)**

Hughes hauled the cooler out of his truck, walking towards the large tent his fraternity brothers had set up for tailgating. There was no beating around the bush; with at least two cases of beer inside he was planning on getting wasted for the day. He had never been a heavy drinker nor did he enjoy parties all that much, but on a day that rivaled St. Patrick's he just couldn't ignore the call. They would start off the day by drinking in the east parking lot that stood outside Centrals football field, following this they would smuggle in any leftover beer into the game itself. Closing out the day would be the annual Homecoming party at the BTA house where not only the brothers and their friends would party it up but alumni often returned to join the festivities. Hughes was looking forward to seeing some of the older guys come back and even more excited to finally let loose for a day.

Of course he could count on Breda to have the grill already set up while Roy was reclined in a lawn chair, a beer opened in his hand. If it weren't for the large speakers he wouldn't have spotted Fury behind his DJ table, the guy was a wiz with technology and his library of music could rival anyone. Havoc was nearby, decked out in full Central gear, the schools flag with a majestic lion tied around his neck like a cape. He didn't think it was possible but standing as if he were a Grecian statue of a god was Alex Armstrong who seemed to have outdone even Havoc's ensemble. The muscle man had painted his sister's jersey number to his chest in royal blue, the rest of his body painted the schools other color, gold. He felt nostalgic as he grabbed a beer; he was going to really miss his college days.

A few fraternities had set up camp nearby; the largest gathering belonging to Delta Tau. Their alumni base alone was staggering in numbers. A few were laughing at the small gathering they had in comparison but he just smiled and waved, his glasses glinting with a hidden agenda. They obviously didn't recognize the group of about 100 guys just pulling up all wearing BTA letters. As far as numbers go, he knew they had surpassed their rivals for the time being.

He was just cracking open a drink when he saw a familiar golden head join them, a blond girl on his heels. No doubt about it, he had finally come through. With a little bit of pride he noticed that the kid looked ten times happier and to his credit Winry looked pleased, though he noticed their hands parted as soon as they arrived.

"Finally." He commented loud enough to grab their attention.

Roy perked up instead, his eyes widening before he began to grin wickedly. It was no surprise to him what had been the compromise for letting Ed come back. The deal had been pretty simple, his final task as a pledge was to make good on a promise and finish what he had started. In other words the brothers had decided to play cupid for a little bit and watching Ed stand there blushing like an idiot was a good enough pay back for now. Winry looked suspicious like she had an idea who had finally made this idiot come back to his senses, but she appeared happy enough.

Someone put their hands over his eyes, "Guess who."

Turning around he stooped quickly to kiss the trickster. "Morning beautiful, need a beer?"

"Such a charmer." Gracia playfully swatted at his head.

Not to brag, but his fiancé was undoubtedly the most beautiful girl on the planet. There was a reason he had made sure to put a rock on her finger, something this good didn't come around every day. "I see you girls brought you're 'A' game." He stared at her shirt.

Over his shoulder he heard Roy whistle low, "I love homecoming."

Maes almost chided his friend for making such a comment when he realized who it was directed to. Taken back, he exchanged a look with his girl. Riza had always been kind of a tomboy but not today. The KD's shirts coupled with a pair of short white shorts that showed off her tan legs presented her in such a way that even he could appreciate. He was happy his brother had finally come to his senses. That and it seemed that she and Gracia had made up, thank goodness. It was terrible to see his love unhappy.

As the crowds began to grow Maes began to lose count how many beers he had taken down. Neither he nor Gracia drank much, but they had both agreed to let loose this year. It was their senior year and with the stresses of the past week behind them they were ready to have some fun.

Music blared as people swarmed the tent area, food and beer flowing like water. The University had provided recreational activities including a rock climbing wall and a blow up obstacle course. Both of these events by themselves would prove to be a good time, but trying to do them after a few drinks was epic.

He couldn't believe how fast the time flew by; all too soon they were filling out of the tailgate area and corralled towards the bleachers. As the band began to strike up the school fight song he stood along with his brothers and the rest of the school cheering as their team ran out. Behind him he could already hear Armstrong's voice going out as he screamed harder and longer than anyone for his dear sister. Across the field he could hear the booing's from the Rush Valley fans. He hoped that this year there wouldn't be a fight…even though it happened every year before. Havoc made a few rude gestures as he took another swig of his beer. Something told him that this year wouldn't be any different.

**(Hohenheim POV)**

Hohenheim stared at the Beta Tau Alpha tent, his eyes zeroing in on his son. Making up his mind he left the group of alumni that had gathered for the tailgating section of Delta Tau.

"So it is true."

His son turned so fast the blond at his side let out a small noise of exclamation as he startled her. The pretty blue eyes and blond hair was unmistakable, he didn't need his son to introduce this girl. He marveled at the way the world worked for a moment, how in the world had these two met up? Well his son probably wouldn't have introduced her anyways so it was a good thing he knew exactly who she was. But the venom in his sons voice still stung.

"What are you doing here old man?"

"Edward." He paused catching sight of the drink in his son's hand. Feeling a little unnerved he thought of the phone call he had received long ago that had almost taken the only family he had left away from him. "This is no time for you to be drinking. You understand you're still underage, the University could expel you for this."

Looking murderous his son stepped towards him, "You're one to talk… save this shit for someone who gives a damn."

He had knocked a few back, but he was a grown man. Feeling undermined and aggravated he looked down at his son. "Watch it boy, you're treading on thin ice!"

"Edward."

Both of them turned to see Winry, her hand on the small of his sons back, a soothing reminder. Hohenheim couldn't believe his eyes, his son's temper which had flared so easily began to cool. Hmm, the persuasion of a pretty girl went a long way, he just never figured his oldest son to be the type to let it affect him. "Let's just go to the game." She whispered into his ear.

Ed looked at her with such an expression Hohenhiem had no doubt that the rumors were true, his son was actually in love with her. This was groundbreaking; his son had only ever loved three things, his mother, brother and food.

Downing the rest of his drink he threw the can at his dad's feet ignoring the glare Winry sent him. "Al waking up changes nothing."

It stung, burned, tore and wrecked him to hear the coldness from his own son. His son was not an easy person to love, but then again neither was he. Things needed to change...

**(Miles POV)**

The rap music blared loudly over the speakers in the locker room as the team began to suit up. Olivia dressed in the bathroom but while her modesty prevailed, she had no problem walking through the rows of lockers as her male teammates dressed. Over the years they had come to regard her as one of their own, though that didn't stop him from blushing like mad when she caught him putting on his jock strap.

"Come on Miles, suit up. We have a game to win." She winked at him before settling at the center of the room like a queen to her throne.

When at last the room was gathered around in a large circle their coach cut the music, his hands in his pockets as he strode to the middle of the floor beside Olivia.

"A title to win back, a perfect season to defend and a place in history. Every hour of practice, every injury, every sacrifice you have made for this team, make it worth it." He nodded towards Olivia, giving her the floor.

"This is what we do, this is our field, this is our game, and this is our night. Win, that's all there is to it."

Miles had to give it to her; she could say it all in just a few words.

The coach patted her on the back, "Take a knee. Let's bow our heads in prayer…"

Even as he listened to his teammate's prayers he found his mind wandering to other things. He needed to play perfectly, there was a lot riding on this game. Once the prayer was over he led them into a riot, the yells and jeers echoing around the room as they banged each other's backs. It was a kind of barbaric ritual but it pumped them up for the game and it was tradition, you never break tradition before a big game.

"Ready?" Olivia asked as they led the team out of the locker room.

He ruffled her hair playfully, ignoring the blazing look she was sending him. "Let's do this."

Putting on their helmets they ran out through the tunnel of cheerleaders and the band towards the familiar green yardage ahead of them.

Considering that Olivia was captain she was always the one to do the coin toss, however she never went alone. Grabbing his hand in one and Buccaneers in the other the three of them walked the fifty yard line for the coin toss.

"Central wins the coin toss." The ref announced loudly to the happy roar of the crowd. None of his teammates questioned why he didn't let go of Olivia's hand as they walked to the huddle. It was simple and as Olivia dictated their plan of action he watched their rival team line up but felt no fear. They were no match; with a leader like Olivia they were fearless and a fearless team on the field with their talent was unstoppable.

The first half of the game was one great play after the next. Not only was Olivia's offensive line able to rack up a good 32 points to take the lead against Rush Valley but Buccaneer had ensured their defensive line held them at a measly 7 points.

Halftime came and went; they were all ready to finish the game. It was do or die. Sensing defeat Rush Valley had amped up their defense, holding Olivia's and even pushing it back to their own 30 yard line. Something had knocked the other team into full gear and Central was feeling the aftershock.

Growling under her breath Olivia threw off her helmet and took a knee in the middle of their huddle. "Buccaneer they're killing me out there, where the hell were you?"

Miles looked at the bruises already forming on her arms, they had been hitting hard. It made his blood boil, game or not, no one got to hurt her like that. The score was at a tense point; their rivals had already brought their score up to 26. One more goal and they would take the lead.

They settled on a play and broke the huddle. It started off as a good play, but when one of the front linemen missed his mark Miles watched in horror as Olivia's body was hit so hard she flew into the air, her body arcing at a strange angle before landing with a dull thud. When she didn't move he felt his breath catch as he bolted to her side. "OLIVIA!"

Taking a knee by her side he barely had time to look at her face before he was shoved away by the trainer. When he saw her eyes slowly blink open he grabbed for her hand and bent low enough that she could see he was there. The trainer was trying to ask her a question but her eyes stayed on his. "Miles."

Hearing his name come out sounding so weak made him feel sick but he wasn't the only one feeling sick. A gurgling noise sounded from the back of her throat as they tried to sit her up. Before both he and the trainers understood what was happening she began to gag. Turning her onto her side they watched helplessly as she threw up, her face going paler. Without any special medical knowledge or even the trainer's confirmation, he knew she had a concussion. There was no way she could have taken that hit and expected to just walk it off.

The crowd was dead silent as the star quarterback was taken from the field, only her stubbornness and severe threats allowing her to remain seated on the sidelines as they resumed play. Miles knew he was nowhere near as good of a quarterback as Olivia, but the way she was staring at him reminded him that the team needed him. Now they had a score to settle, he was going to make sure they beat Rush Valley. He was going to finish what the lovely Armstrong had started, he was going to win it.

* * *

**Next Chapter: **Homecoming-Part Two

Find out what will happen to the Central football team with Olivia benched and the score at a breaking point.


	12. Homecoming: Part Two

A/N: Thanks for all your wonderful and helpful reviews. I've added the characters part as a way of breaking my chapter up. Hopefully this will help with any confusion. For reference IFC=Interfraternity Council and NPC=National Panhellenic Council. These two organizations are made up of five elected members of any fraternity or sorority in their respected group.

**Chapter 12: Homecoming Part Two**

**(Miles)**

The scoreboard numbers changed as the Rush Valley fans went into a frenzy. Without their leader on the field the confidence of Centrals team had wilted. Buccaneer swore so loud Miles had no doubt the fans had heard it. His teammates were tired, worn, and after watching their lead slip away, they looked beaten. In the game of football there was always going to be pain, but when you're losing you feel it. Every ache and sore is amplified in the wake of failure. The burn in his calves was only outdone by the throbbing in his arms. Olivia had always said pain would heal but the shame of failure would last a lifetime. So as he watched their defensive line run out there he could only pray that they could hold them. They needed one more goal, if they had to make up two it would be a lost cause.

He thumped a junior guard on the back, "Go get em' Travis!" The large player nodded his head, a grunt the most confident response he could expect.

Pacing the sidelines he crossed and uncrossed his arms as his team was slowly pushed back yard by yard.

"Miles!"

Snapping his head towards the direction of the call he almost forgot that she was still out there.

"Never thought I'd see the day when you gave up." She barked unpleasantly, her face still a little pale. Stubborn woman needed to see a damn doctor, despite the obvious fact that she was speaking more sense than he could credit himself for at the moment.

"They're killing us out there." He fired back; too frustrated to care that he was actually raising his voice towards Olivia of all people. "I don't play your position, you do." He could be her second in command, but finding himself as the key player was a lot of pressure, heck she had some big shoes to fill.

"Stop being a baby and end this already."

Oh he wanted to end it, he wanted to throw his helmet off and throw a tantrum that would make even the unruliest of kids ashamed. If their defense didn't hold, there was no way they stood a chance. After everything, he just couldn't believe they were going to lose here, on their homecoming game, on their own turf. "We've got nothing left, you were our ace." He mumbled, the frustration giving way to defeat.

The fire was back in her eyes. "There is one play left, one that you know better than even I do."

One of his other teammates threw him a water bottle which he guzzled down before putting his helmet back on. The liquid refreshed him, along with the new idea planted into his brain. "You really think that's going to work?"

Olivia just stared out at the field, "Looks like you'll get the chance to find out."

The crowd behind them was in an uproar as their defense took back possession of the ball. The chanting started and he knew she had a damn good point. It wasn't the best play they had, but it was one of the only ones that they could utilize without Olivia being the key player. They really had relied on her for everything hadn't they?

"You just meet me at the goal line ok?" Her stern expression flickered until her smile won out. "When we win I'll make sure I tell you I told you so."

The Rush Valley defensive linemen were big guys, big enough to compete with Buccaneer and the rest of his offensive linemen. They say you can't test your true strength until you put it all on the line. With only a minute and twenty left on the clock, this was really the only chance they had. Johnny nodded at him, his position set for the play. It was a complicated string of fake outs resulting in one last run, one last try for a game winning touchdown.

All the moisture seemed to have vacated his mouth as he tried to swallow. It was going to work or it wasn't, there wasn't room for regret in the final countdown.

"Set…hike!"

The play started as soon as the ball left the ground, finding its way into Miles's hands.

**(Roy)**

The entire crowd was holding their breath as the play kicked into gear. It was one of those moments where you could get so wrapped up, that everything around you seemed to blur into the background. Only the ticking time and his team registered. Ok, so maybe it was the alcohol that made it so the game was the only thing he could keep track of. But who was really checking anyways? Throwing his hands in the air he yelled, his cheer joining the masses. The feeling all around him was electrifying, like a bolt of energy to his stupor.

At last he saw it, the most beautiful move in football history. After a series of fake outs and a switching of hands the ball fell back into Miles' hands, his feet already crossing the twenty yard line.

Somehow one word was perfectly capable of describing what he wanted. "GO! GO! GO!" He pleaded and begged as if the team could really hear his individual shouts.

Riza sucked in her breath next to him as they both watched Miles get cut off by two Rush Valley defensive players. As if he were superman he shoved the first players head down as he leapt into the air, his body twisting to avoid the second charge. When his body finally fell two more players leapt onto the dog pile, sufficiently blocking the truth. Was he in?

It had gone silent, the painted faces and drunken gazes of some of his brothers were all hanging by a thread. No one wanted to walk out of there boasting a losing team. He even saw Breda carelessly drop the hot dog from his grasp, not even trying to catch it as it tumbled to the ground.

The ref finally stepped away from the dog pile after a few of them clambered to their feet. Turning back to the crowd he threw his hands up in a signal of a touchdown, the goal was good. As if someone had lit a fire under their asses the entire Central side leapt to their feet, their hands up in the air as they screamed in celebration. He didn't care who saw as he pulled Riza to his chest, pushing his lips against hers and effectively laying one big one on her. Thank goodness he had seen her have a few drinks or else he might have found himself knocked out. She was a marksman that made most men shake in their boots, but only a few knew she also had a wicked left hook. He sincerely hoped that she was kissing him back and not planning her revenge. This almost seemed a little too good, especially when she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him in closer. The next play had already started but the clock soon switched to zero as the crowd burst into an uproar of raised beers, loud screams and a wave of jumping and fist pumping that would have any episode of Jersey Shore jealous.

**(Noa)**

"Well this is _quant_." Isabelle remarked rather callously.

Noa seethed, her pride had already taken a beating that day. Arms folded across her chest she tried to stifle her retort. This wasn't going as well as she had imagined and she wasn't so sure how far her patience would stretch. The field consultant pointed to her bags which had been carried in by a relieved looking taxi driver. "You can put these in my room." It was hard to not be distracted by the squealing of tires as he peeled out of their driveway…smart guy. The petite, strawberry blond placed her hands on her hips, her face puckered in distaste. "Did you lose some members or is this place always so dull?"

Isabelle hailed from an Alpha Zeta chapter down south at an Aerugo University. Down south a sorority wasn't an organization or even a choice; sorority was a way of life, it was a legacy of family. To be in a sorority down south you had to be born into it. Shit, she knew she should have brushed up on her Alpha Zeta knowledge. The real question was who was Isabelle. Was she a strict voice from Nationals or a real AZ with the deep rooted desire to be the life of the party? "It's central's homecoming today, the girls are out."

"And you got stuck here waiting for me?"

Was she supposed to embrace her and scream yes? Ha! She was better off pretending to be the class act president and role model nationals expected. Thus she was the only sister left in the house, the only sister willing to sacrifice her last homecoming for the sake of their chapter…some sisterhood they had. It would take an awful lot of finesse to get through this week and still be able to hold onto their charter. "It's just a silly football game." She waved it off like it was truly nothing, like she would love nothing more than to spend her Saturday with some know it all from Nationals.

"Good, if you'll give me the keys to each room I'll start my tour while they're out." She commented in a sickly sweet voice.

Her stomach flopped, her face paling. The contents of her sisters rooms could single handedly end them. The girl's mini fridges were stocked full of liquor. It didn't matter if they were of age or not, every sorority house no matter what sorority it was had to abide by Panhellenic law which stated that each house must remain a dry house. In laments terms, no alcohol would be permitted on the property.

"I'll go grab the keys." And the charter to our chapter so you can rip it up she thought angrily.

**(Miles)**

The field was deserted, the stands still filled with garbage and confetti. With the help of Olivia's little sister he had been able to get her car driven back to her house and the fifty yard line was currently lined with petals from her favorite flower. She was a high class girl and though the white lilies had cost him a fortune, he didn't care. When the game had ended he had thought about canceling his plans and taking her to the hospital himself, but she had nearly taken the trainers head off when he tried to tell her something similar. Not exactly a good start to what he wanted to do.

So there he was, standing in the center of the field, still soaked from having the cooler dumped over his head, waiting for her. Then he saw her emerge from under the bleachers her footsteps halting as she took in what was in front of her. Her hair was wet like his, only he knew she had had enough time to shower while he knew he only had so much time before the guys in charge would lock them out.

Even with the overhead lights illuminating the field it was hard to see her expression until she stood at the start of the fifty yard line, her gaze following the petals to him.

"Do you remember the first time we met?" He asked her, his nerves put at bay. The field was his territory, his home turf, he wasn't scared here.

She slowly began to toe the line her eyes never leaving his. "What is the star of the game still doing out here?" She answered back.

"You kicked my ass the first day, took my position as starting quarterback."

She laughed in amusement at the memory. "Do you think coach is going to put you back as starting QB?"

Miles grinned, "No."

She stepped closer, "So what is it that you wanted to tell me?" The softness in her eyes was unnerving, but that made it all that much more beautiful.

At this point she was so close he had no other choice, he had made his resolve. "Walk with me?" She took his outstretched hand, curiosity keeping her in his grasp. They walked hand in hand past the 40, 30, 20, 10 and finally they were under the goal post.

Olivia looked up at the goal post, "I told you so." She breathed.

Miles grinned, "You had that much faith in me?"

"Always."

Chuckling himself he shook his head, here goes nothing. "I brought you here because I fell in love out here."

Olivia looked around, "The cheers, the adrenaline, the fight, the glory, what's not to love?"

Miles swallowed back his fears. "It wasn't the game I fell in love with." He pointed back to the fifty yard line. "You start in the middle and a play can go either way. You showed me that no matter where you start, you chose where you end. And this is where I want to end…right here with you. I didn't fall in love with the game Liv I fell in love with you."

Just as the overhead lights flickered off one by one, Miles cradled her cheek in the palm of his hand.

He didn't need to pull her in that far, she was already leaning in when he finally kissed her. Pulling back slightly he could feel the heat of her breath still on his face as she pressed her forehead against his. The darkness engulfed them but neither of them took notice.

**(Hughes)**

The game had ended a few hours ago, the whole gang heading back to the BTA house to prepare for the annual Homecoming Party. In other words all the brothers and their friends were setting up the kegs and continuing to keep their throats wet as they celebrated their team's victory. Gracia tugged at his ear, pulling him down so he could hear her over the growing noise of the music and the crowd.

"I'm going to get another drink, you want one?" There was no slur to her words but he knew she had to be feeling it, he was.

Nodding his head he kissed her on the forehead, "Yeah, thanks love." He watched her fade through the crowd, a content feeling in his stomach.

"Well hello stranger."

Maybe he was a little drunker than he thought, because he had not seen this girl in over four years. "Talia?" He asked in surprise.

The dark skinned girl grinned flinging her arms around his neck, "Maes, it's been so long."

The idea of seeing Talia here at Central blew his mind. "I thought you were still studying archeology in Xerxes?"

Her smile widened, "I am, but a few of my friends invited me to come to Central for the weekend. Wow." She touched his face as if it were unreal. "It's good to see you again, how are those two brothers of yours?"

He shrugged, "Frank's still up at North at Briggs and Wally is at basic training. Your mom doing okay?" His mom often worried about Talia's mother who always seemed to be sick.

Talia smiled and touched his face again. "She's just fine, you're sweet to ask."

He turned as he felt someone tap his shoulder. Gracia stood off to the side, two drinks in her hands. He wasn't sure why she was staring down Talia until he noticed her hand hadn't left his face, her body suddenly too close to his. Stepping back he took one of the drinks from his fiancés hand, slipping his arm around her shoulder. "Gracia, this is one of my friends from back home. Talia, this is Gracia, my fiancé."

Talia dropped her hand immediately, her expression faltering. "Oh…uh congrats." She ran a hand through her short brown hair, "I should probably be going. It was good seeing you again."

Before he could wonder why she looked ready to bolt, she was already gone. Weird.

"A friend from back home?" Gracia asked him, taking a long sip from her drink.

For the life of him he could not figure out what had just happened. "Yeah." He answered bemused, "I can't believe she just left like that, I haven't seen her in years."

"Maybe you should go after her."

Maes froze; the cold tone to her voice sent him reeling. "What do you mean?"

She managed to avoid his gaze as she finished off her drink. How much had been in her glass anyways? "If you want to go be with her, go."

He slid his arm off her shoulder so that he could stand in front of her, "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing…"Her gaze lingered around the scene before at last meeting his.

"It's not nothing…you're upset."

"Why do you love me?" She asked, as if she didn't know the answer.

The drink fell out of his hand as he stared at her, was she being serious? Well if words wouldn't do it, maybe he could show her. Bending forward he kissed her. It should be obvious how he felt about her.

She didn't respond at first but eventually her hands snaked around his neck and she was kissing him just as roughly. The two of them pushed through the crowd, his car the closest thing. He pushed her against the side. The party still raged in the distance, no one troubled by their absence. Wanting a little more privacy he opened the backseat of his car, wanting to talk to her a little bit, but secretly wanting to continue their current activities.

Gracia pushed him backwards into the backseat of his car; her eyes alight with mischief and want. His breath was stolen in that moment leaving him wide eyed and frozen. Her lips brushed against his neck an unexpected moan brewing in the back of his throat. It was like nothing they had ever done before, nothing that he had ever felt before. Oh he had thought about this moment since the moment she had first initiated a kiss, but somehow it had escaped them. The thought of hurting her had always made him uneasy, his fears outweighing everything else. Despite his brothers jibes he knew what he had with her was worth more than just this one act. In their freshman year they had both felt the pressure to hold onto what they had by doing it, but when he found her in tears he had known she wasn't ready.

As they lay entwined in the back seat of his car he got the sinking feeling that this wasn't the right moment either. Every part of his body burned where her skin touched his, practically begging him to take her so why was he holding back?

"Maes?"

Oh no, how long had he zoned out for? Gracia was sitting up, her legs straddled on both sides of him. "Am I doing something wrong?"

The uncertainty and the lingering taste of alcohol confirmed it. He would never say no to her, but he could say no for her. After four years he didn't want their first time to be a drunken night neither of them would fully recall.

Her hands lingered on his shirt, which was halfway pushed off before turning away. The cars temperature which had been blazing hot now seemed to cool towards an icy chill. Gracia sat on the edge of the seat, her back to him. Sitting up he tried to embrace her gently from behind but she shrugged out of his hold, her face still absent from his view.

"Gracia…please." He choked out, unsure how to explain through pointless words why he had made this decision.

"You don't want me, I get it." Her body shook a little as she tried to sit as far away from him as possible.

He tugged at her wrist, forcing her to face him. She was an intelligent woman, but when it came to knowing her own self-worth she was clueless. Maybe he just needed to remind her. "I want you for the rest of my life." How could she not see it? "There wasn't a single cell in my body that doesn't want to make love to you. But I want to make our first time something special, not like this. You deserve Champagne and red roses, soft music and massages…not the backseat of my car."

There were tears in her eyes as she turned to him, but she didn't cry. "What if I wanted to?"

His throat felt tight, his muscles tense. "You want our first time to be right here?"

The skin across her forehead drew together as if something were trying to pull free. "I don't want to wait."

Gracia was gone and in her place was some kind of seductress he had never met. "I don't uh, I-uh…" God this was awkward, "I don't have any protection."

As if she hadn't heard him she continued to disrobe him, her hands too quick for his hazed mind to comprehend. He was more than smitten to kiss her lovingly on the mouth but it began to deepen. He was a little lost when she pulled away and began to move down his body. What was she doing? He felt her lips still trailing down his stomach with no hint of stopping…oh. His mouth fell open as he pulled in a startled breath. She had _never_ done this before.

Somewhere between complete bliss and hazy decision his hormones took over. The air was thick with heat, their clothes useless to them now. He slid his hands up the smooth skin of her inner thigh.

"GET WASTED!" Another loud voice chimed in. "YEAH!"

A loud thumping on the car window caused Gracia to sit up quickly her head smacking into his. There were several voices outside the car now and despite the darkness outside; he didn't trust the fogged up windows to hide them forever. He would never say the phrase 'I told you so' but once again the idea of doing it with her in the backseat of his car was not romantic. His breathing was still heavy as he cupped her chin in the palm of his hand before kissing her on the forehead. She was still flushed but he knew reason had finally persuaded her against it in the end. "Another time, I promise."

Sighing she pulled her shirt back on, before kissing him on the corner of his mouth. "Yeah." She murmured halfheartedly.

"FUCK CENTRAL!"

Both of them froze as a few others joined in on the sentiment, curses and jeers now engulfing the parking lot. There was no way his brothers or anyone else celebrating their homecoming would start chanting and shouting like this. Swallowing hard he pulled the rest of his clothes on hastily before shoving Gracia the rest of hers.

"Lock the doors as soon as I get out, got it?"

"What?" Her face puckered in confusion.

His brothers would solve a matter like this with their fists, he needed to find Roy and end this before it escalated.

**(Ed)**

The third floor balcony, as he suspected, was deserted. No one at this party was capable of climbing three flights of stairs and they were just sober enough. Winry was right behind him, the lion paw prints on her face slowly wearing off. They had both seen a lot the past few weeks and it was a relief that their pledge days were finally behind them. He had gotten off pretty easy for hell week but even though he wasn't a pledge he did realize he was on the bottom of the totem pole until another class came through. There was a faint redness growing on her cheeks as he watched her sip at her drink. Taking a swig of his own drink he had another thing on his mind…other than making sure she was far out of reach from the drunken party boys he had seen eyeing her ever since they arrived. He watched her out of the corner of his eye trying to figure out what it was exactly about her that made him so tongue tied.

"How's Al doing?"

He eased up a little, "Good, in fact he wants to meet you."

Her eyebrow raised a little, a coy expression on her face. "And why exactly would your brother want to meet me? Been talking about me behind my back have you?"

"Maybe." He admitted unabashedly, "I might have bragged that I knew a famous automail mechanic." He liked the way her face lit up as if the sun had just crossed the horizon.

"Well I can't say no now, I have a reputation to keep. When can I meet him?"

He ignored the rising voices from the yard as he pushed back from the railing. "Whenever you want to."

The blue in her eyes twinkled as a crease formed along her forehead. "Hmm, is tomorrow too soon?"

"Tomorrow?" He thought about it for a split second before he ruffled the hair on her head. "Nah tomorrow sounds just about right." He smiled back at her, just happy to be around her.

They chatted comfortably, the occasional laugh between them setting the tone and killing his nerves. He needed to stop thinking about her as more than a friend. At this point he knew it was better to have her as just a friend than to risk something more. For good measure he inched a little bit away from her as they leaned their backs against the rail. He didn't trust himself to not do something stupid with his mind beginning to swim and his beautiful friend so readily available.

When they had both finished their drinks they decided to head back down when the noise level, which had been escalated for the past hour, reached a high octave as the sounds of sirens mixed in with screams. Ed searched the panicked crowd with his eyes to try and find the source of the problem. A large group of students wearing Rush Valley red and silver colors were throwing punches left and right, inciting a near riot. It wasn't fight vs. flight, every bone in his body ached to fly down over the balcony and join in on the scene. This was their fraternity house, and those were his brothers out there getting knocked. Gripping the railing he threw a leg over the edge ready to scale the side of the house when two hands pulled him roughly.

Losing his balance he collided hard with something back onto the balcony. "What the hell?" He rubbed his throbbing elbow, catching sight of a blond head and angry blue eyes.

"You are a complete idiot sometimes." She mourned through clenched teeth as she hauled herself up to her feet, stooping to offer him a hand. "We are not getting MIP's tonight, come on."

That certainly got him to his feet fast, the idea of fighting long gone. If he got caught with alcohol in his system in the house, his brothers could get charged with providing alcohol to minors. Thank goodness for Winry and her level head…though he was not about to tell _her_ that.

Racing out into the hallway he grabbed ahold of her hand as people shoved and pushed past them to streak down the stairs.

"HALT, THIS IS THE POLICE."

The echo of voices had to be coming from the first floor. "Shit!"

Spinning around he kept Winry in tow. "There's no way we are going to make it of the house, we need to hide."

Ed shouldn't have been surprised to find that all the bedrooms on the floor had been locked. Feeling cornered and angered that he had led them to a dead end he banged his fists at the door next to them in frustration. That was when he heard it creak open slightly. Eyes widening he realized they had missed one door. Hearing the sound of heavy footsteps on the stairs he didn't dare chance a look behind them before he shoved her into the dark space, colliding into her as he slammed and locked the door behind him.

As soon as he shut the door, he lost his balance and ended up pinning Winry against a set of shelves. Oh this was just great; he had locked them into a cramped closet. A small whimper brought him back to reality.

"Winry, you ok?" He whispered, scared that he might have really hurt her.

She spoke through clenched teeth. "You're standing on my feet."

Smooth. "Oh shit, sorry about that."

Both of them went quiet as the sounds of door knobs jangling and hard voices made their way up and down the hallway. When a hand jerked at their door he subconsciously held his breath, nervous that they might somehow hear his frenzied nerves. Or worse that they might be able to sense the terribly loud beating of his heart as Winry leaned against him slightly.

Exhausted, but unwilling to check to see if the coast was clear they both sank to the floor. Winry yawned a few times before he noticed her breathing had turned shallow. The sight of her peaceful expression as she slept against his shoulder drew him in as he too slowly succumbed to sleep.

**(Roy)**

"Oh ho ho!" Christmas had come early this year, or perhaps Christmas and a birthday. Fuery had already taken several incriminating photos, all against his personal judgment of course. But there was no way he was going to let this moment pass without sufficient proof and mockery.

The house was a mess, he had already gotten several angered phone calls from not only IFC but from his Nationals, and Riza had taken Gracia home which left his bed empty, but all things considered this night hadn't turned out half bad.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" He inquired loud enough to wake the sleeping occupants.

The battle of the red faces began shortly after Ed pulled his hand from around her shoulder and Winry picked her head off his chest.

"Save it Mustang." Ed commented wryly as he helped Winry to her feet, his face flaming in embarrassment.

"Mind telling me why Falman found you and Winry locked in a closet at four in the morning?" He ignored the murderous glare from his fraternity little brother.

Saving them from more embarrassment Maes walked in between them, having just made his way upstairs. "You two can crash on the couches in the living room, no one is driving home tonight." He held out his hands, "Keys Ed."

Responsible Hughes was nothing out of the ordinary, but this subdued version of his good friend was troubling. Come to think of it, he barely saw him at all that night. That and though he knew his friend and Gracia were traditional, she usually spent the night. That she had asked Riza to take her home had an entirely different meaning to it now.

"What's the matter with you?" Havoc grumbled, obviously nursing an oncoming hangover and not catching the picture behind the words.

His friend tensed, his eyes hidden by the reflecting of light off his glasses. "You want to know what's wrong with me?"

Mustang could feel the tension building in the testosterone and alcohol fueled bodies around him. He noticed Winry shrink back towards the wall as Hughes eyes flashed with a dark tint that he had never seen before.

"In case you haven't noticed there were over twenty people here who got MIP's. That means that all of us who are over twenty-one in this house are going to get taken down for selling to minors. Not only that but I've already got Tyrone James, the President of the Interfraternity Council, on my phone calling me to an emergency meeting tomorrow. And you wanna know why? Our chapter is being called to a Judicial review and our fraternity is on suspension until our case. As if that weren't fucking enough I just got ticketed for a noise violation because I was the only one who would talk to the cops. So if you're done ragging on one of the only brothers in this fraternity who didn't fuck up tonight." He gestured toward Ed who looked just as stunned at the rest of them. "I suggest you start packing your stuff or get us one hell of a defense. Either way we are all royally screwed." His chest heaved as his glasses slid a little down his nose.

The anger was already gone by the time Maes was done with his venting, but the look of pure disappointment held fast. He could blame it on the Rush Valley students or even the countless underage kids from Central University itself, but the look in Hughes eyes said the truth. He couldn't blame it on anyone but himself, he was president and he should have done _something._

Ed came to first, gently pulling the blond along with him. "Come on Win we can go sleep on the couches downstairs."

Falman and Fuery were gone before he could even blink, leaving him alone with Hughes.

"Maes listen I…"

Hughes cut him off, his body language exuding fatigue. "Forget it. I'm going to bed so I can pretend that maybe this is some kind of nightmare."

Roy was left standing alone in the hallway, all laughter gone from his face. The night came crashing around him like a heavy cloak of misery.

**(Riza)**

Riza held Gracia's hair back as she deposited the contents of her stomach out, her sobs subdued for the moment. This had to be one for the record books, her friend had never drank so much that she had puked. But it wasn't the puking that bothered her, although it was still gross, she wasn't the one who should have been taking care of her. Maes and Gracia were a packaged deal, where one went there was the other. They took care of each other, loved each other and were engaged to stay that way forever. So why had her friend pleaded for her to take her home and had barely even looked at Hughes?

She was also worried about Roy and his brothers but Gracia had needed her more at the time. After some struggling and a little help from Rebecca they had managed to get Gracia to bed, making sure to place a trash can within puking distance.

"I've never seen her like this." Rebecca revealed once they were sitting alone in the living room. It was well past 3am but neither really felt much like sleeping.

Riza nodded her head in agreement, troubled by what their friend couldn't tell them. "It's got something to do with Maes, but what they could possibly be fighting about I can't even imagine."

"I'm going to knock his teeth out." Olivia spoke up from across the room. Riza noticed that the blissful heir of serenity which had surrounded her sister when they got home was gone. Now the sleep deprived girl looked ready to duke it out with someone. "Just what the hell happened at the BTA house tonight?"

Both Rebecca and her exchanged glances, "We left before the cops showed up." Rebecca sighed dramatically, "Some Rush Valley boys gate crashed the joint and started a brawl just as we were thinking about leaving."

Rubbing her temples Olivia sat down next to her. "If my head wasn't killing me I would walk right over there and strangle those boys. I just got called by Carrie, she said both NPC and IFC are calling an emergency meeting of all the presidents tomorrow, as if I don't have anything better to do." Carrie was the only Kappa Delta on NPC and Riza knew Hughes was the only one on IFC from BTA but they were going to need a hell of a lot more pull than that if they were going to get the chargers dropped. The three of them sat in silence before Olivia spoke up again. "Are all the girls accounted for?"

"Yeah, most of the girls left earlier than we did." Rebecca recounted.

The fact that Olivia had yet to remove her hand from her head sent off a warning signal in Riza's mind. Her sister had been hit pretty hard, but she had insisted that she was fine. Sensing eyes on her, Olivia quickly lowered her hand, "So my little sis got home safe?"

"Roy texted me a little while ago, she's crashing on their couch for the night."

Olivia immediately jumped up, heading towards the front door.

Rebecca gaped with an open mouth at her. "Where are you going?"

As if it made all the sense in the world Olivia looked at them like they were crazy. "Going to pick her up, where else would I be going?"

Riza didn't miss the way her hand grabbed for the keys that were sitting on the table, only to reach a few inches away. Something was wrong here. "She'll be fine. I'm more worried about you."

"Why would you be worried about me?" Olivia asked her eyes fiery at the admission.

"You were knocked out cold today during the game, that had to have done something. Let us take you to the hospital to at least have you checked out." How could her sister wave off her health like this? Wasn't she worried of the damage she could inflict in the long run on her body?

"I'm fine." As if to avoid any further scrutiny she set the keys down and mumbled something about annoying sisters before heading back upstairs. "I have a meeting tomorrow morning. Will one of you make sure Winry gets home safe?"

"Of course." They both chorused.

Olivia continued to walk up the stairs. "Thanks."

At last the night finally caught up with her and Riza could barely hold her head up as both she and Rebecca headed off to bed. Olivia was already asleep by the time she crawled into her bed, and switched on her alarm clock. She had a feeling Roy needed to be at this presidents meeting too, though she had known him long enough to realize he would probably sleep right through it. Setting the alarm early enough that she could wake him up herself she drifted off to a dreamless sleep.

The sharp and spastic like beeping woke her up like nails on a chalkboard. Cringing she felt around in the early morning light until at last she hit her alarm clock. Her one hit did nothing; the sound kept coming like an aggravated bird sounding off when someone comes too close to its nest. Feeling irritated she glanced over at her roommate, how was Olivia sleeping through this? Sitting up she peered curiously at her alarm clock only coming awake enough to realize it wasn't hers that was beeping.

Getting up she crossed the room and managed to figure out the fancy and rather expensive alarm clock of her roommate before poking the sleeping girl. "Come on Olivia, time to wake up." When she received no response she tried shaking her body. Pushing her on her back Riza leaned in close, "Olivia! Wake up!"

Her hands trembling she fished her cell phone out of her purse before an operator came over the line. "911 what's your emergency?"

Riza blanched at the words that left her mouth, "My roommate isn't responding...she's not waking up."

* * *

**Next Chapter: The Councils**

Winry gets to meet Al for the first time while Ed struggles to figure out just what he wants out of their friendship. Things don't look so good for the top two Greek organizations on campus. BTA faces serious charges while Alpha Zeta's field consultant Isabelle holds their future in the palm of her hands. Will Riza be able to get help to Olivia before it's too late?


	13. The Councils

**Chapter 13: The Councils**

**(Tyrone POV)**

The seventies and the eighties had brought the Greek world into a new reign. The organizations had gone from the once prestigious and humanitarian organizations to an elitist and party going mass of chaos. But as Tyrone knew and as most Greek communities on college campuses were learning, this era had come to an end. Drunk driving had killed, hazing had gotten so bad that sometimes the consequences were worse than death and the ever present promiscuous circles and date rap drug rampage had all but unveiled the evils brewing behind the scenes. In order to survive, in order to protect their creeds and their place in the world they needed to dig back into their past and rediscover the values their founders had taken pride in and lived by. They needed to purge themselves of those members and those fraternities that had fallen off the deep end.

The idea of a values based Greek community had been his platform when he ran as Interfraternity Council president, but he had a sinking feeling that his fraternity's relatively easy going nature and friendship among the chapters had been his winning ticket. None of the other chapters really seemed to grasp his plans or his ideas for the future. Ever since his election he had been fighting an uphill battle.

So when he was pulled out of his sleep at 3am to listen to the dean of the university ready to disband the very community he had been working his ass off to save, he was more than a little perturbed. Sitting at the head of the board table in the Greek Life office he studied his board swiftly, his eyes lingering the longest on his president of external affairs, Maes Hughes. Had this been any other meeting they would have already had to endure endless photos of his beloved fiancé and himself. This reserved and rather defeated looking guy in his place validated what he already knew, BTA was about to take a fall. Of all the fraternities besides his own, he had always taken a liking to Beta Tau Alpha. They were a loyal group of guys with good character and thus one of the only groups he had thought he didn't need to worry about.

The current council included himself a member of Alpha Mu, his Vice President Zolf Kimbley was from Delta Iota Kappa, Vice President of external affairs belonged to Maes Hughes of Beta Tau Alpha, Vice President of internal affairs was Tom Smith from Delta Tau and his Vice President of Membership was Garrett Reese also of Delta Tau. The intense rivalry between Beta Tau Alpha and Delta Tau usually made matters pretty sticky, but Maes was a level headed guy and Tom and Garret weren't really much trouble.

"Y'all know why we're here, but I'll repeat the report that landed in my hands from the Dean. Beta Tau Alpha held an unregistered party last night at their chapter house. After an incident of fighting occurred on their property the police were notified. Upon arriving on the scene the officers apprehended several underage Central University students intoxicated." He paused, his gaze shifting to the smug look on Kimbley's face. "I know that BTA was not the only one to have a party last night, but seeing as they are the only ones that were shut down by University police, they are the only ones on the chopping block today."

It was clearly the intention of Dean Bradley to make an example out of the Beta Tau's. Lacing his fingers together he rested his chin on his hands, his elbows positioned on the table in front of him. "Maes, I wouldn't have it any other way, you guys will get a chance to defend yourself. But I'm not gonna lie and tell you it'll be easy, you are in violation of the social contract. For our purposes your fraternity is on social probation."

He watched Maes lower his head and nod once. "I'm sorry you had to get involved."

Leaning back in his chair he could almost smell the alcohol on Garrett and Tom's breath, he was surprised they had even showed up at all. It was more than obvious that there had been more going on last night than he cared to find out. "If you will pass it on to your presidents, there will be a trial with the student judicial board tomorrow." Glancing at his own notes he sighed. "Alright, now to vote on the social probation term for Beta Tau Alpha. It is my opinion and that of our Greek advisor that we vote between now and the end of the semester or now until the end of the year. All those in favor of this semester?"

One look around revealed the majority easily, all those except Zolf. He waited patiently thinking that maybe he was just finishing up typing but it was no mistake. Looking quite self-assured he butted into the short silence. "All those in favor of a year?"

Tyron's mouth hung open as Zolf took the floor, his hand firmly raised as he proposed the last option. Gritting his teeth he frowned, if there was one thing he hated it was someone stepping on his territory. He was president and as president he was chosen to preside over meetings, not Zolf. No matter, the majority had already been reached. "Well despite your objections make sure you note that BTA will only be on social probation for this semester."

"I disagree whole heartedly. James, you really think a semester on social probation is really fitting? Maybe if you didn't have such a biased council we could leave this room with a true vote." He closed his laptop, "Oh don't worry this is all off the record of course. I wouldn't want to put ideas into the Deans head. If he thought you were letting some fraternities in this council get off easy of course."

"Shut it Zolf, we voted, it's a done deal." Garrett spoke up.

"Who didn't party here last night? I'm not the biggest fan of BTA, no offense Maes, but let's be honest; it could have easily been one of us." Tom another member of Delta Tau chimed in, his fingers at his temples rubbing away what looked to be one hell of a hangover.

If he timed it out right he could still ring in a quick nap before his meeting with the Greek Advisor. "Alright that's it guys, thanks for coming in on such short notice."

Once the others had left the room he noticed Kimbley was waiting for him. Good, he had some words to share. He was a chill guy, but there were boundaries and limits to everything. "You ever try to overstep your authority on this council and I will take you down."

"What are you going to do, threaten to put my fraternity on social probation for a semester?" He challenged.

His face crumpled in disdain. "Listen, I understand your concerns and I…" He gritted his teeth, "…_respect_ your opinion but when we vote on this council the decision must be upheld by all of us. In other words you will respect this decision."

"Oh I'm so terrified!" He laughed a twisted kind of manic laugh before gathering up his stuff. "I'll email out the meeting minutes as usual."

"I would be terrified if I were you…" He paused for the effect, "Some might have forgotten about the two girls who were drugged and raped…but I seem to remember your fraternity ending up in some hot water." He stepped closer to Kimbley he hadn't got this far in college without knowing a little bit about covering all your bases.

The dark haired man's face was already pale but Tyrone could see the difference, he had hit it on the nail. "Is that a threat?" He snarled.

"No that's a promise."

**(Alex Armstrong POV)**

Alex sat on the edge of the putrid green chair, his body feeling cramped in the small piece of furniture. The TV buzzed nosily in the background as voices echoed over the loudspeaker, the occasional person joining them in their perpetual state of exhausted fear. The clock overhead ticked away the hours as the ugly walls seemed to close in. Hospitals had always made him uncomfortable, but this waiting game only made the place uglier. Looking around he found his family haggard and uncertain. His father was currently talking to one of the doctors while his mother held his younger sister Catherine close to her side. The true comforts had come in unexpected packages. Almost the entire sorority had managed to stop by, only leaving when he and his family insisted that they would notify them when her condition changed, even some of his brothers had already shown up to show their support. However the most beautiful display of affection shown on his sister's behalf was the man sitting slightly down from his family. Holding his head in his hands, the young man looked as if his world were crumbling around him. Sometimes he forgot that his sister was just as human as the rest of them, now more than ever. Her strength of spirit and prevailing confidence could not shield her from injury and especially not from falling in love. He was no fool, he knew his sister and the Alpha Chi president had been close for a good number of years now.

Ever since he got the call from Roy he had been playing out every possible mistake he could have made that led to this. He had left right after the game with his brothers without waiting to congratulate her or to even check on her. They had all been blinded by her stubborn charm and tough exterior. Maybe if he had stayed, if he had pushed her to go to the hospital…

At last his father came walking back towards them, his face grim, but not severe. Not sure how to express his support he placed a hand on the man's shoulder, looking down a little to meet him eye to eye.

The man tried a small smile for his wife and children, "Our dear Olivia has been through quite a lot. They took her in for a CT scan." His smile gradually widened as the corners of his eyes crinkled. "With some rest she should be able to make a full recovery." His father glanced at the stranger in their midst listening intently to the news. "It will be some time before the medicine wears off, I will have Alex call you when she wakes."

Miles looked slightly uncomfortable. "If it's alright with you sir, I would like to wait here."

Alex was not a fool, and when it came to matters of young love he considered himself an expert. He could barely contain his enthusiasm as the man bravely stood his ground; Olivia had obviously not revealed to him that their father was as soft as they come. He wondered if his sister knew the affections of her good friend ran so deep.

"You are that Miles boy from Olivia's team, no?" His mother asked, her eyes twinkling like a serene star in a black night.

"Yes ma'am." He answered a little formally as if he were unsure how to address them.

The atmosphere around them seemed to lighten as the Armstrong family began to piece together the subtle clues about why this young man was so distraught over their daughter. "She will be pleased you have come."

"Yes." Alex chimed in, feeling a little bit of relief. There was always good to be found, and here was the one thing he could claim for the disaster of a day. His sister had found her match and he was here and waiting. "She will be stubbornly obstinate that you have wasted your day in this place, but she will be delighted all the same."

Catherine beamed at him, her hands clasped together in delight as they exchanged knowing looks. Olivia was their cherished sister and seeing her in love would be vastly rewarding. It was about time she took care of her heart.

**(Winry POV)**

The wind blew her hair out behind her as Ed sped through the city streets with the windows down. A girl could get used to feeling like this; the view was incredible though her eyes didn't linger long on the scenery. Almost as soon as they had taken off she had noticed how unbelievably sexy Ed looked driving a stick shift. It was hard to keep herself from drooling; something about automail and driving a fast car was a little too much for her. When at last they pulled into a parking garage she realized how badly she had misjudged Ed's lofty use of the word apartment. His dads place was not an apartment; it was one of the most lavish buildings around.

"Oh wow." Her hand drew to her mouth as she took in the sheer size of the place, not to mention the location. "Must be lonely on top of the world." She mused quietly as the view stretched across the city. The glass elevator stopped at the top floor as Ed withdrew his key from the panel. She had yet to even walk in the place and already she was tongue tied in awe. It reminded her of the first time she had walked into the Ocean. The sea of aqua blue all around her had made her feel so small and insignificant. That's exactly how this _apartment _made her feel; if you could call the top floor suite of such a pricy place an _apartment_.

"Come on." Edward prompted her as he began to walk away from the entrance never even stopping for a second glance at the full scale suits of armor that lined the space. Winry was compiling a 'you know you're rich when…' list in her head as he led her through the maze of expensively furnished rooms. She had just come up with a 'you know you're rich when you have a room specifically dedicated as a library' when at last Ed slowed his fast pace. Lying down on a large sofa surrounded by a glass wall that revealed access to a rooftop garden was a fragile looking boy of about 16.

If Winry felt unease at being in such a lavish place it diminished at the welcoming smile on the boys features. Besides the difference in eye color she found he was a younger but still handsome version of his brother. His body looked a little malnourished, but she could see a healthy color in his cheeks and a sparkle in his eyes as he practically tackled his brother in a hug. "Brother!"

Looking rather embarrassed Ed gently untangled himself from the embrace. "Yeah, yeah don't get too excited or the doctor is going to have my throat." He grumbled loudly.

Undeterred he glanced meaningfully at his brother and then at her before clearing his throat expectantly. Winry tried to hide her smile, the gentlemanly thing to do would have been to introduce her. Ed was far from being a gentleman, but she was very intrigued to find that his brother appeared to be quite the opposite.

"What?" Ed asked obstinately, clearly not reading his brother's hints.

Sighing, the younger brother approached her on his own, extending his hand pleasantly. "You must be Winry, I'm Alphonse. Brother has told me _a lot_ about you."

"Oh? Has he…"She sent Ed a hard look as she grasped the younger man's hand in greeting. Fighting away the laughter she felt brewing as he blushed several shades she turned back to Al, "Ed has told me a lot about you, but he never said anything about living in a place like this."

Al looked around as if the huge room was nothing too impressive. "I wanted to move back home, but Dad is renting this place until he's positive there are no long term effects." He tapped his head in good humor while Winry noticed his brother scowl. "But I don't mind too much, especially because now brother has no excuse for not coming to visit." He added happily.

Her heart warmed as she gazed at the generously kind boy who seemed much like Ed's opposite as he did his mirror. "Where is home for you?"

His face lit up with delight while Ed's seemed to darken. "Resembol." Alphonse replied with such a wistful tone that Winry felt the tiny bit of homesick start to show itself.

"Resembol?" She repeated in disbelief.

"That place is nothing but sheep fields and dead ends." Ed interjected, his face lined with a past Winry really didn't know.

The more she thought about her hometown the more she thought about her grandmother. Had it really been three months since she had said goodbye to her on the small railroad platform overlooking the gently rolling hills of her past? "True, but it's still home."

As expected Al caught on before his brother. "You're from Resembol?"

Winry looked over at Ed as she responded, "Lived there my whole life."

His gaze on her was piercing as if he too were trying to figure out how they could have missed each other is such a tiny place. "Small world huh?"

"Getting smaller every day." She agreed, her thoughts running through all the people she knew in Resembol.

Ed looked like he was going to say something else but flinched when his phone went off in his pocket. Pulling it out he scanned the screen. "Aw hell." He muttered, his expression darkening. Texting back to whatever message had come to him, she watched as he shook his head in disbelief. "Looks like Beta Tau Alpha is on social probation, and I have to show up for the student judicial board trial tonight."

Winry crossed her arms, she wasn't too happy with the way things were turning out. "This isn't your fault! I know for a fact your fraternity wasn't the only one to have a party and if underage drinking is the key factor they might as well indict half of campus for providing to minors!" She knew Maes had probably helped to soften the council's determination of social probation and not chapter suspension, but to face the student judicial board? They had the ability to expel students from the University.

"Brother…"

During her little rant she had failed to notice that Al had a knowing look on his face.

"Don't." Ed practically spat out, his eyes flashing. "Don't even mention that bastards name, I don't need his help."

Looking equally frustrated the younger Elric let out a saddened sigh, "You may not like it, but all of this does have some benefits. If you just talked to him, I know he could pull some strings." His hands gestured around at the illustrious apartment.

"He doesn't need to know and you aren't going to tell him." Ed maintained with a big brotherly heir of command.

Not one to stay silent Winry stuck up for the kid. "Ed, your brother's right. If you give him a chance to help you, I think he will."

Looking indignant he began to back away from the two of them. He shot her a hard look. "You don't know him Winry, he won't help."

She took a step after him, her face close to his as she held her ground. "So it wouldn't hurt to try."

His face was so close she could see the vein in his temple throb slightly. "I don't need his help."

"Everyone needs someone Ed."

"I've got you and Al don't I? Why the hell would I need anything more than that?" He answered confidently.

Winry felt her mouth drop open slightly at the force of his words, how in the hell did this conversation flip so fast? The pulse under her skin began to race as her eyes flickered to his lips and back to his eyes. Did he notice that she was no longer talking about asking his father for help?

Al cleared his throat quietly, effectively breaking her concentration on how it would feel to kiss her best friend. Jumping back a little she tried to control it, but she knew her face was radiating a deep red. Thankfully Ed's phone went off again, and in a wave of cursing she figured out exactly who was on the line. Speak of the devil.

"What's this got to do with you?" There was a pause, "You think Delta Tau is any better? Ha!"

Noticing that he had an audience Ed glanced apologetically at them for a second before his face twitched again in anger. Turning away he left for the balcony, sliding the door behind him.

"Sorry about my brother." Al said sadly, "I don't think things have been very easy for him." As if looking for a change of subject he motioned for her to sit next to him. "So, how long have you liked him?"

"Probably since I met him…"Her hand clamped over her mouth as she realized what she had just said out loud.

He tried politely to stifle his laughter but it came out anyways. "I knew it! I made him promise to bring you to meet me." He added with a bit of amusement, "Because knowing my brother it could be a lifetime from now before he admits that he likes you back." He winked at her.

"Likes me back?" She wondered aloud.

He raised an eyebrow, "Were you in the same room a few minutes ago? Brother is head over heels for you, he just isn't very good at showing it."

"Well if he doesn't…I mean he's my best friend, I don't want to ruin anything." It was necessary that she remind herself why this was important.

The sliding door opened and shut effectively cutting off their conversation and leaving Winry with far too much attention to thoughts of what could be…

Wiping a hand down his face he looked beat. "We should probably get going."

Winry was about to say her goodbye when the younger boy wrapped his arms around her in a warm embrace. She returned his hug, wishing she hadn't been an only child.  
"Will you come back soon for another visit Winry?"

Ed huffed indignantly, "What am I, chopped liver?"

Al let go of her before going to hug his brother. Ed stepped away the close encounter choosing instead to ruffle the kid's hair lovingly. "Yeah, yeah. Make sure you take care of yourself."

Once they were in the car riding home Winry sighed in content, her lips still curled in a smile. "Your brother is a good kid."

Ed snorted like he was enjoying a private joke, "He's not even eighteen yet, still not legal Win."

She batted at him playfully, "Funny Ed, but you know what I mean."

There was a moment of silence before his body appeared to relax. "He's one of the best."

"With a brother like you how could he turn out differently?" She spoke honestly, unable to hide the embarrassingly affectionate tone of her voice.

She could see him watching her out of the corner of his eye. The space in the car was stifling with things she suddenly wanted to say to him, things that she hadn't realized were coming on hard.

"What did you and my brother talk about while I was outside?"

There was one thing his brother had said that she could actually talk about without embarrassing herself, it was something she wanted to say anyways. "He said things haven't been easy for you."

"Have things been easy for you?" He countered back softly.

Winry thought about her parents backs as they walked away to never come back and the time it had taken her to earn enough money to afford college, and her grandmother slowly losing her health. "No." Her voice coming out slightly higher than normal.

His hand grasped hers for a brief second as the car slowed at a red light. "We make for a hell of a depressing story huh?"

They laughed at themselves, forgetting about the pains and problems on the outside world. Winry knew when the light turned green he would take his hand off hers, but it could be a good thing. If he held on any longer there was a chance she might start falling in love with him.

**(Riza POV)**

A huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders when at last they had gotten the call that Olivia was awake and responding. Her anxiety wrenched list of worries had begun to dwindle. The next one on her list had everything to do with why she was currently lying in bed with a very happy man.

His fingers traced the scars on her back in a loving pattern as she lay across his chest. Roy was a very physical creature and though she wasn't going to admit it to anyone besides him, she wasn't complaining. Exhaustion had a way of forcing your body to relax and with his touch she was melting away into nothing. Turning her head so she could stare across his toned chest into his eyes she slowly worked her way up so that she could reach his lips. He kissed her back slowly, their lips barely touching as they held the moment.

"You were right." His voice was still husky as he stared at her lovingly.

When he wanted to, he could charm the hell out of her. It never used to work on her; she wondered when that had changed. "I'm always right." She corrected him.

It didn't take a psychiatrist to know that he was in no shape to stand trial, even if it wasn't a criminal trial. Things between him and Maes were strained at best, and she knew it was tearing him up. Thankfully it only took a little persuasion to get his mind off of things for a little.

He kissed her on the forehead before shifting out from under her. Looking like a sick puppy he didn't walk away from her just yet. "Think I'll take a hot shower before I face the gallows. Care to join me?"

Riza stood up, coming up behind him so that her chest pressed against his back, her chin resting on his shoulder. "I'm not letting you get away so easily. How much longer do I need to convince you that you are Roy Mustang?"

He grinned at her, "I think it's almost working, better not stop." Without preamble he scooped her up in his arms and threw her over his shoulder.

"Wah!" She hit his back with her fists her sides stitching up with laughter. She liked this confident and self-assured Roy. This was the man she could depend on, not the depressed and forlorn thing she had found imitating him that morning. This was the man that was going to fight for his brotherhood.

**(Gracia POV)**

The leaves were already changing their colors, the healthy greens to the vibrantly assorted art in living color. Walking through the park she drew her jacket a little tighter around her as the temperature remained colder than usual. That was the message she needed to see right? That things change, that nothing good can last? That the best summer of her life was over and the realities of winter were on their way?

That's the thing about being lonely time seems to draw to a painful standstill. Feeling a little lost she continued to put one foot in front of the other. When at last she reached the student center building she could almost feel her stomach twist and tie itself into knots. Of course she had spoken to Maes, but it was hardly a normal conversation. He had been short with her, only a few words before he muttered something about needing to make it to the hearing. The worst was the end of the call, the three words that had been absent when she really needed them.

Straightening up she shook away the desire to curl up and cry right there on the front steps. There had been no fight, no broken promises and nothing of real consequence to be upset. She knew it was irrational to pin point his refusal to take her in the backseat of her car as the end of the world. But in their four years of being together they had never had so much as a disagreement. Her heartbeat fast in her chest, she wasn't sure how this was going to pan out.

The ballroom had been set up to accommodate the massive crowd that had gathered to witness the fate of the brothers of BTA. Gracia loved the boys like her own brothers and upon seeing them she knew she was right to come. As soon as she crossed over to their sides she was greeted more warmly than she anticipated. That and despite all that was happening she couldn't help but wish Maes wasn't one of the speakers for BTA, because if he turned around now he would see that sitting closer than anyone in the room was his fraternities prodigy and her favorite sister. Seeing Ed and Winry reminded her of how things had started between her and Maes. Why couldn't things be as simple as those three small words she knew were always true?

"Settle down."

As remarkable as those two words are when repeated furiously by the head of the student judicial board, they worked pure magic as the dean of the University stood up. The air went out of the room as Dean Bradley calmly uttered the same two words.

There was a rush of motion and a scuffling of chair legs against the floor before the hearing officially began. Gracia wrung her hands out nervously in her lap as she watched Roy and Maes stand up to defend their letters.

Dean Bradley started off the proceedings, the satisfied smirk on his face not a good sign for her boys. "It has come to the University's attention that your organization has blatantly violated University policy. I am rather disappointed at the weak retribution on the part of the Interfraternity Council but that is not why we are here."

The head of the student judicial board cleared his throat a little louder than was necessary. "This hearing will come to order at 6:12pm, will the defendants please state their names and affiliations."

"Roy Mustang, Beta Tau Alpha president."

"Maes Hughes, Beta Tau Alpha member."

Gracia relaxed a little bit, at least they sounded confident.

"You may be seated." He shuffled a few papers before continuing. "Beta Tau Alpha fraternity for our purposes has violated the student code of conduct by holding an unregistered party. You have two minutes to state your case."

"This entire proceeding is based on whether or not my brothers and I had an unregistered party, to that I must ask where in our student code of conduct does it define what a 'party' is. I could be wrong but seeing as we had neither invitations nor a register that such an event was occurring at our house I would disagree with the current charges. Furthermore I would like to assert that in order for the part to be put on our shoulders it would have to have taken place on our property. Legally speaking the gathering occurred in the side yard and if you take a look at our land contract you will see quite plainly that we do not own the land at the side of the house. Technically BTA is responsible for the five foot distance on that particular side. As president of my fraternity I think I speak for all of my brothers when I say that the social probation is a fitting penalty for this rather murky rule as it is. A semester to just focus on our grades and philanthropic endeavors is just what we need." He concluded, his confidence filling the worried hole in her chest. Now she knew how he had managed to snag president of his fraternity in his second year. He knew the rules forward and backward but more importantly, he knew how to get around them. Her eyes flickered to Maes as she watched his mouth, which had gaped open during his friend's speech, snap shut.

"Do you have anything to add Mr. Hughes?" Another member on the council asked.

He adjusted his glasses on his nose before shaking his head, "No, I believe my brother has stated it all."

"Are there any questions from the broad?" The main person on the board asked his fellow members. Two girls on the right side were grinning just like most of the people in the room; their case had just been cracked wide open.

When not one of the members chose to delve into this argument it was impossible to not notice the fiery death stare coming from the Dean. The main man on the panel, looking immensely relieved, jotted down a note before turning back to the two men in front of him. "We will reconvene once we have come up with a decision. This case is adjourned for now."

There was muttering amongst the crowd, a few of the brothers patted Roy on the back before turning to walk out of the room for some fresh air. She was about to call out to Maes, hoping he would at least talk to her if she cornered him. As if he could read her thoughts he turned on his own and rushed to her side. In that moment she knew she had been a fool to ever believe he didn't want her. Picking her up she felt her feet come up off the floor as he embraced her hard to his chest.

Wheezing slightly she tried to suggest that she did in fact need to breathe.

"Gracia." He whispered her name with such a reverence that it was hard to keep the tears of relief from pouring down her face. Trying out a smile she hadn't used in the past day she was rewarded with several chase kisses on her cheeks, forehead and finally her mouth. "I have been an idiot."

An idiot yes, an idiot she wouldn't forgive, no. "Let's forget all about the other night." She requested anxiously. The feeling of his hand on her cheek made her want to jump him right there in the middle of the now vacant ballroom.

He sighed before putting his hands on either side of her shoulders. "When all this is over I want…I want…I want exactly what you want." He finished with a twinge of embarrassment that reminded her of that same stretch of time when they had been scared little freshmen. "I want you, all of you. But I want you when you are ready."

She might have been drunk the other night, but he seemed to think she was a saint and for once she couldn't wait to prove him wrong. She had already promised him forever, this was just another way to show him how much she meant it. "When all this is over." Gracia agreed whole heartedly. Rubbing his back as she kissed his cheek softly, "You could use something to relieve this tension."

Maes blinked down at her, his eyes owlish. He didn't honestly think that after being in a sorority for four years she hadn't picked up a few tips? "You underestimate me."

"No." he shook his head vigorously, "I am amazed by you."

Maybe if his fraternity wasn't on the line and they weren't a room that was filling up once again they might have found out just how amazing. But as the board filed back in the atmosphere plunged back into a somber anxiousness. The decision had been terribly quick and the Dean's expressionless face was hardly helpful.

She squeezed Maes hand before he made his way back to face their judgment.

A younger guy who had been taking notes the entire proceeding held out a piece of paper, reading off it word for word. "It is the decision of the student judicial board involving the pending case with Beta Tau Alpha that we fully endorse the IFC decision as well as requesting an extra 10 service hours…per member to be completed by the end of the semester."

Nodding his head in agreement the main speaker folded his hands in front of him looking decidedly grim, a gesture a little above his age and maturity. "If BTA does not comply with these components they will lose their charter. This meeting is adjourned."

Maes shook hands with a few of the IFC members who had gathered to back them up as well as the board members themselves. The dean had already vacated the premises but despite his warning the crowd was full of smiles and congratulatory handshakes.

"What do you say we get out of here?"

The familiar steady and strong hand around her waist gave her the reassurance she had been looking for. "Sounds wonderful."

**(Noa POV)**

Her perfectly manicured nails clicked impatiently on the dining room table as she waited for Isabelle's final report. It was some kind of miracle that the girls had taken most of their booze with them, she had only come up with a measly 8 bottles. In her mind that number was less than ten, an epic low for the damn house. How Isabelle could be taking more than two hours to write up a report to Nationals was beyond comprehension.

Now her sisters hadn't exactly helped matters upon their return home. Not only had the girls returned from the party smashed, but their field consultant had managed to pry out information that churned her stomach. The girls had blabbed about the police showing up and ruining the night, how two of their girls had received MIP's and last but not least how the fraternity was being sent to the Student Judicial board the following day. Hadn't any of her girls ever heard of pleading the fifth? The news just kept rolling in and with her executive board nursing hangovers she knew calling an emergency meeting was out of the question.

Finally emerging from the study Isabelle marched out towards Noa, her eyes sharp as she pushed a stack of papers towards her. Refusing to sit down she stood like a bird watching its prey from above.

Reading the first sheet of paper Noa felt her blood boil. "These are resignation papers." She stated through clenched teeth.

Smiling sweetly Isabelle didn't appear at all disturbed. "There is no need for the chapter to take the fall; we have a reputation to uphold on this campus."

"And you want me to take the blame and resign as president?" Noa seethed, her respectful demeanor long forgotten.

"No, I don't want you to take the blame." She handed Noa a pen, "I'm telling you to take it."

No, she had spent too much of her time at Central U working her way to the top. She was planning on running for Panhellenic council, resigning as president would kill her candidacy. "I won't do it."

Isabelle shook her head slowly, leaning close. "Listen here brat I deal with bitches like you on a daily basis, now you'll either sign a resignation form or I will rip up your charter. I've been working for Nationals for five years; don't think I haven't seen all this before. You're running this chapter into the ground and everyone knows it but you. Sign the papers."-

**(Kain POV)**

Climbing over the railing he stared down at the rapid flowing water below the bridge. The adrenaline cursing through his body made him feel invincible. Choosing to walk up to deaths door rather than being dragged there made all the difference in his mind.

Kain glanced at the traffic flowing across the busy bridge, no one even bothered to look at the man ready to jump. He tried to imagine his funeral; would all of his one night stands show up crying about a lost love? Ha! He wondered how many girls in the Greek system would use his death as reason to skip class. Noa might even claim their long but fatal relationship was the truest love she had ever had. Funny how people love you more when you're dead. In death they forgive your mistakes and your character flaws.

There were two missed calls from Rose on his phone. That was a can of worms he should have never opened, the bait was far too strong for him to handle. He wasn't used to her, to what he felt like when he was with her, she was ruining his life. Prior to meeting her he had been ready to give up the fight when the time came. He had lived life to the fullest; he had drank with the best of them and certainly fucked the rest. No time for remorse, no time for true love bullshit. But Rose…he was beginning to regret his time with her, the more time he spent with her the more he thought about how little he had in the long run. He would never be able to love her fully in this life. For the first time since he had been diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis he was scared. At the age of twenty two his life was more than halfway over and it had never seemed so terrifying. Infertility was pretty much a guarantee and until Rose he had seen it as a blessing. Grabbing at his head, he tried to get a hold of himself. He would never be able to be with Rose, to be a son, brother, husband or father to anyone. Any more of this thinking crap and he was going to change his mind. Taking a breath he closed his eyes and jumped.

* * *

**A/N: **You know I read somewhere that besides Olivia and Catherine that Alex Armstrong has two other sisters, anyone know if thats true? That familly cracks me up, wish they had been in the manga more...

**Next Chapter: Dark Days**

A tragedy shakes up the campus, testing the bonds between friends.


	14. Dark Days

**Chapter 14: Dark Days**

**(Kain POV)**

The air pushed back at his skin as his fight with gravity began to spiral out of control. The water rushed up to meet him, the escalading fall mere seconds of life away from the end. You're never more alive than when you're almost dead. His breath came back to him as the cord around his ankles went taunt, his body forced upwards. The bungee cord let him relive a portion of his fall again and again until at last the cord swung back and forth uselessly. His smile dimmed as they dragged him back up, the fight for his life no longer in his own hands. The worst part of the fall was the disappointing end, when the cord didn't break and he bounced inches away from the water.

"Shit man, you are fucking crazy!" His brother Damien cheered on in admiration.

"You have no idea." He agreed with Damien before he watched him take a leap of faith, screaming the whole way down. Kain knew he should talk to someone about what was going on in his head, but sooner or later it wouldn't even matter.

One of the instructors took his eyes off of Damien's fall for a brief second, "Never seen anyone so silent on a bungee jump, this not your first time?"

It was always something, rock climbing, skate boarding, cliff diving, and now bungee jumping. "Nah."

The instructor looked him over, a bemused expression on his face. "You weren't scared?"

"Not something to be scared about, there are worse things out there." He thought about the waiting game this disease had created for him.

"Not afraid of death huh?"

Kain thought it over, there were all kinds of reasons why he was the way he was. "I'm not afraid of death." He agreed. "I just don't like dying." He admitted under his breath.

**(Jean Havoc POV)**

The pair walked briskly, the fall night air slightly cooler than usual. Jean tried at least twice to wrap his arm around Rebecca's shoulders, only succeeding in irritating her.

"Jesus Havoc. I said you could walk me home not _take_ me home." She muttered in annoyance.

"As if there's a difference." He grumbled under his breath. College girls were a wicked blend of easy picks and tough acts, Rebecca had proved to be the latter from the very start. She might have refused to let him drape his arm around her, but she was staying awfully close to his side. Out of the corner of his eye he watched as her head kept turning in every direction; as if someone or something might pop out to get them.

Her tone shot a warning at him. "If it wasn't dark I would have ditched you a while ago."

Personally, Havoc thought she was cutest when she was pretending to be stuck up. "Un huh, you keep telling yourself that Becky." She could be a real pain in the ass sometimes, but he rather enjoyed her bluntness.

"Ugh!" She threw up her hands. "You are impossible; I have no idea why Riza would leave me with someone like you!"

They had been at a local pub after the trial and somehow Riza and Roy managed to escape before anyone else could ask where they had gone. Seeing as they lived relatively nearby it was no wonder he had gotten stuck walking her home. Rebecca was a pretty girl, but he didn't usually try to get with girls like her. Not that he intentionally went after easy girls; he just didn't want any strings attached. It was his sophomore year of college, no need for things to get heavy. He tended to stay away from Kappa Delta girls; they weren't his cup of tea for the moment. They were the type of girls you took home to meet your parents, the kind of girls you lavaliered, married blah, blah, blah. Despite her good looks and quick wit, he really didn't see himself wasting time on her. But as they walked back together he couldn't help himself. Her pale skin looked vibrant in the dark of the night with her dark eyes seductive and enchanting. It wasn't until she opened her mouth that he remembered the reasons why she wasn't someone he could take on.

"You're lucky I decided to walk you home, I have no problems walking by myself." He was going to get a headache before his hangover had even begun.

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Let's just worry about getting back; this place creeps me out at night."

He puffed his chest out slightly in a tough guy act. "Aw come on, there's nothing to be afra-" _Crash!_

Rebecca clutched his arm automatically as he scanned the area to see where the noise had come from. It sounded like it had come from the tower behind them. He thought he saw a figure at the top, but when he blinked again there was nothing but the starry sky. "What the hell?"

Just as he was about to shake it off he noticed that Rebecca was still attached to his arm, her eyes wide in horror. Following her stare he spotted what had caught her attention. Suddenly he understood what had crashed and why Rebecca had fainted into his arms…someone had jumped.

They didn't get any closer; it was obvious from where they stood that nothing more could be done. He held Rebecca close, his own stomach churning in horror. When he called the police he found himself fumbling for the right words to describe what they had just witnessed.

The night kept dragging on, after giving their statements they both headed back to the dorms. The sun's rays were already shedding away what had felt like the darkest night. Havoc lit up a cigarette and took a long drag with his eyes closed.

"Mind if I?" Rebecca asked softly.

Surprised at the question he held out his cigarette nonetheless. He watched her lips seal around the white stick before exhaling a wisp of smoke. "I didn't know you smoked." He commented.

Her mouth twitched a little, "There's a lot you don't know about me." There was a small pause. "Havoc?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm glad you were with me...I don't think I could have handled _that_ alone."

Taking one last puff he smashed the remains into the ground. "Did you see someone at the top of the tower?"

Rebecca shook her head looking bewildered, "No, did you?"

"I don't know." He replied honestly.

"Jean if you saw someone up there…" She asked in dismay.

Shaking his head he tried not to alarm her with what he _thought_ he saw. "Pretend I never said anything, it's been a long night."

"I don't think I could sleep, even if I wanted to." She played with the zipper on her jacket.

He had felt exhausted, but the idea of reliving what they had seen didn't appeal to him either. "Want to go grab some coffee?" He offered.

Rebecca chewed on her lower lip then nodded her head, all previous pretenses to each other gone.

**(Maes POV)**

Maes knew getting a call way past midnight from the Greek adviser wasn't very promising. He allowed himself one more ring and a calming breath before answering. If it was possible to be coherent at this hour he was going to attempt it.

"Hello?" He answered cautiously.

"Maes, this is Marc Williams. Sorry to call so late…"

Having a position on IFC, as well as beinga former BTA president, had put him in contact with Marc from time to time. The Greek life office was home to both the Greek advisor and all the members of IFC and CPH. He knew him well enough that this rather timid and hesitant voice was uncharacteristic and a little unnerving. Marc was relatively young for being a Greek advisor, though his thirty seven years of age were contradicted by the lines of gray in his hair. His best feature was his complete disdain for Dean Bradley and his view of Greek life.

"There has been a death." Marc's voice hitched, making it sound like he was on the verge of a breakdown.

Maes perked up, all sleep gone from his limbs. A death? Jumping out of bed he felt his hand tremble slightly, it had to be someone he knew if Marc was calling _him_.

"Im so sorry Maes...Tyrone James is dead." The line went silent following his words except for the chocked up breath as his advisor tried to compose himself.

"Tyrone?" Maes asked in complete disbelief, "But how?"

"They aren't positive…but he was found at the base of Hill Tower. God Maes, they think he committed suicide!"

Maes returned the sentiment; the idea of Tyrone committing suicide was unfathomable. "There must be some kind of mistake, some explanation." He tried to reason out loud.

A deep sigh came from the other end as Marc sounded well beyond his age. "I think everyone can tell you he was one of the most promising kids out there…I really thought he was the one to change things around. I'm sorry to put this on you but I thought you needed to know. I'll call you tomorrow when I have more details."

The air felt heavy, pushing him down until he was kneeling on the floor.

"Maes." Marc said his name. "You still there?"

He didn't want to be there, he didn't want any of this to be real. "Yes."

"You alright?"

What a stupid question to ask. "Are you alright?" He retorted, wishing he didn't sound so bitter.

"Will you notify your chapter for me?" Marc asked instead.

There wasn't much else he could do at this point. "Sure thing."

Dropping his phone on the ground next to him, he wiped his palm down his face. Tyrone was different than most of the guys their age, he was one of the good ones. He was a popular guy on campus and well respected in the community for his efforts to change things around. They hadn't been best friends, but after spending a good chunk of his days with him they were more than casual acquaintances. Suicide; the term made him uneasy, it was something that could be prevented. How had he not seen the signs…had there even been any signs?

Not sure how to deal with the news he let it simmer in his mind before he couldn't stand it any longer. Picking up his phone he speed dialed her number, praying she answered.

He was hugging her tightly to his body in a matter of minutes, the time it had taken for her to pull on a sweatshirt and running shoes. Panting slightly from her run she held his cheek in her hand, "Maes?" She whispered once they were in the privacy of his room. "What's happened?"

To repeat the shocking details felt wrong on so many levels. The words died on his tongue the moment he tried to speak. Pulling her back into his arms he felt some of the weight in his heart shift on to her. She shouldered his burden and helped him remain standing as the night dragged on. He wasn't sure how long they had been standing or when they had decided to lay down, but when he felt someone shake his arm he figured he must have fallen asleep.

Gracia placed a cup of coffee on his bedside table, her hand running down his arm. "Do you want me to get you some breakfast?" She asked sweetly, her eyes full of concern.

Sitting up he leaned forward and pressed his lips against her forehead. "You're an angel you know that right?" Pulling back he took a sip of the coffee she had set down for him. "I should probably go talk with Roy, should have done it last night."

Looking a little upset Gracia shook her head slightly, "Havoc stopped by the house a little bit ago, he was the one who…who found him."

Maes flinched, the idea making him unsettled. "Some kind of luck we have." He responded dejectedly. "The trial and now this? Feels like someone's out to make our lives hell."

Gracia didn't contradict him; it was hard to explain why things kept going from bad to worse.

**(Roy POV)**

A lot of students had packed it in early this year...word had spread fast. With Halloween decorations already put away for the year, it was hard to imagine how the entire campus could still look so eerie. The place was dead; most people had already packed their stuff up and left for Thanksgiving break. A death on campus was not a new concept, but almost everyone had known Tyrone. He had been a big man on campus, a well-liked student and a promising young business man. Several professors had cancelled classes today in honor of his memorial services. No one wanted to stay on campus longer than they had to.

Roy walked by Hill tower, the caution tape still zoning off the area. The silence between the lines echoed around him. He thought about the look on Havoc's face when he had first told him what had happened. Suicide was such loaded word, a tragedy for anyone, but for Tyrone it was incomprehensible. He thought about Professor Hawkeye and how the light had gone out of his eyes. Seeing one death this semester had been enough.

Back at the house things weren't much different, most of the boys had already packed and gone home. The remaining members were dressed in black, ready for the memorial service. Hughes was pacing the living room looking a little frazzled.

Leaning over to Breda he gestured towards Hughes. "Should I be concerned?"

Breda crossed his arms with a groan, "With Tyrone out, Kimbley has taken the position of IFC president."

That wiped his thoughts clear. "Already?"

"Yup. Already stopped by the house a few minutes ago to tell Hughes they are going to be meeting over break." Breda confirmed.

Well that explained the frantic pacing; Hughes was supposed to be spending the holiday with Gracia's family. Roy had almost kept their meeting on Sunday but had decided against it. He might not have a family that celebrated being together, but he did acknowledge that others did. Especially with the events of the past two days; people needed to get away from all the drama and get some rest. "What did Garret and Tom from Delta Tau have to say about it?" Those guys were not the type to work over a break.

Breda chuckled humorlessly. "They told him to go fuck himself."

That seemed like a reasonable request for the prick. "I'm assuming that didn't go over too well."

Breda shrugged his shoulders, "It explains why Hughes has been a mess. Kimbley threatened to kick them off the board and while we would all be happy to see some Delta Tau's get their ass handed to them, this doesn't feel right."

He hated the Delta Tau's as much as the next Beta Tau Alpha member but he had never liked Kimbley. At least this wasn't a battle he needed to fight. "Kain can watch out for his brothers just fine. What we need to do right now is support Alpha Mu." Today wasn't about Greek politics; today was about coming together and standing up in the memory of a great guy.

It was a sight he was not likely to forget. The massive amount of people that had gathered for the service was a melting pot of every sorority and fraternity on campus. Obviously more from some than others, but still it was rare to see everyone together without the heading of Greek Week. Girls leaned on one another, an occasional red eyed stare and wet cheeks. A few of the other fraternity presidents came over to say hi, their bond with Tyrone giving them common ground. Miles walked over with a weak but stubborn looking Olivia at his side.

"Still can't believe it." The dark skinned man spoke roughly.

Olivia pursed her lips, "No one can. If you ask me there are some pieces in this puzzle that will never fit."

Intrigued Roy pressed for more. "What makes you say that?"

"The fact that security cameras caught sight of someone coming down the steps from the roof minutes after he jumped." She spoke harshly.

The connections of the Armstrong family never ceased to amaze him. "Don't suppose you're going to tell me who it was?"

Her face twisted in a downward snarl, "Believe me, if I knew, the bastard would be six feet under by now. To insult his memory by calling this a suicide makes me sick. All of us presidents have had the chance to work with him all summer; you'd have to be crazy to think he'd actually jump willingly."

The start of the service put an end to any further discussion but it didn't stop the wheels from turning in his head. As they began to seat themselves he felt a wave of relief as Riza wordlessly found him amongst the crowd and took her seat by his side. The atmosphere was thick with soft sobs, sadden faces and depressing thoughts. Some kind of memorial service this was turning out to be, Roy knew Tyrone wouldn't have wanted this.

The service had many speakers but there was only one speech that finally seemed to touch on what Tyrone might really have wanted said. Tyrone's younger brother Aaron walked on stage, his Alpha Mu brothers supporting him from the front row. The kid looked pained as he stared out at the massive amount of people that had gathered in respect to his brother.

"When I first came to Central I learned two things, stand for what you believe in, and believe in what you stand for. Ty always thought our Greek community could be better and that we were the generation to make it happen. I look around and I see my brother's dream, I see rival fraternities and sororities sitting next to each other. I see a group of people, Greek or not, that have come together because somehow my brother touched their life. My family and I want to thank all of you for coming to show your support." His voice began to shake from its forced calm as he took a deep breath. "I wish he could see all of you here, to see how much he is missed." The kid covered his eyes, but it didn't hide the lines of tears that trailed from under his hand down his face. One of the administrators of the University stepped forward to take the mike for him, but he waved him away. Wiping his face Aaron began to speak. "I challenge all of you to keep my brother's dream alive, to make this community something we can be proud of. I know the kind of legacy my brother left behind…what will yours be?"

The rest of the service had the usual tedium of respectful memoirs as well as tear-filled goodbyes. And yet the younger James's voice kept echoing through his head. What kind of legacy would he leave behind?

After the candle vigil, Roy, a few of the BTA members, some Alpha Chi's and Kappa Delta's all went to the local pub. Miles sat with him and Maes. Having been the closest of the group to Tyrone they had formed an unspoken bond.

"I really feel like we should do something in his memory. After hearing his little brother get up there and speak I want to actually do something." Miles commented after they had all each endured the depressing silence for long enough.

Roy took a swig of his beer before setting it down. "I've been thinking the same thing."

"He was trying to get us more involved in the community; I know his fraternity just got into the Make-A-Wish program." Maes added thoughtfully, his glass of water a stark contrast to their drinks.

The girls joined them soon after. Gracia leaned against Hughes arm, "Why not hold some kind of benefit in his memory with all the proceeds going to Make-A-Wish foundation?"

Roy had to fight off a grin as he watched Olivia finish off Miles drink. Completely ignoring the concerned look from Miles. Someone who just recovered from a serious concussion shouldn't be drinking, but like hell he was going to tell her that.

"Ridiculous, I am perfectly fine." Olivia admonished him before turning to the group. Her presence was undeniable. "I think that's a perfect idea, let's set it up for the week after break."

Riza shared a look with him. Things like money, time and planning were never obstacles as far as Olivia was concerned. "And what would we call it?" Riza asked plainly.

Everyone turned to Gracia as she let out a delighted sigh, "Dreams do come true! We could make it a fairytale ball. Get it? The money goes to children who have terminal illness and the idea is that this money will grant them one of their wishes. So dreams do come true? Fairytale ball?"

It was about time. The grin on his best friends face reminded him of the real Maes. Maes, the happy go lucky, Gracia is the sun, moon and stars Hughes.

"You are brilliant my love." He praised her.

Gracia blushed hard, but looked sublimely happy at the compliment nonetheless.

Roy took that moment to stand up on his chair, calling the attention of the entire bar. The sweat dripped off his glass as he held it up high. "To Tyrone."

Several glasses joined his as they all remembered a great man. "Tyrone." The rest of the bar echoed somberly.

**(Winry POV)**

Rose laughed loudly as she finished stuffing some shirts into a bag. "And you should have heard the way Regina practically begged me to come back! Seems like their field consultant found out about what Noa did. Did you know it was against policy for Noa to kick me out like that? Noa resigned as president but everyone said she was forced."

Winry had been listening patiently, but that last bit made her uneasy. "But look at what they did to you, why would you want to go back to that?"

"Oh Winry!" She said in her overdramatic fashion, "You sound just like Kain did when I told him, but like I said it was all Noa's doing. I'm sure the girls had nothing to do with all that other crap."

Winry couldn't believe how gullible her roommate was. "They just stood by and watched it happen…not one of them said anything."

"Well yeah." Rose answered as if that solved the matter.

"They didn't stand up for you." Winry concluded. "As your sisters they never once had your back and yet you think they do now?"

Her lower lip pouted out. "I thought you'd be happy for me?"

How could she explain to Rose that she was falling right back into their trap? "If you are _truly_ happy then I am happy for you."

"Good because I already accepted." She held up a shirt with the Alpha Zeta letters on it. "I wish I could stay and meet your parents when they pick you up, but it looks like mine are already here." Her parents had been sending care packages since the beginning of the year. The past week alone they had left Rose a million different messages saying they loved her, especially when they found out about the suicide on campus.

Winry opened her mouth to explain why her roomate would never meet her parents, but Rose's father had already opened the door to their room and was holding onto her for dear life. Rose rolled her eyes and tried to shrug him off, but he continued to beam at her. Winry was surprised he let her go long enough to grab her stuff. Rose's parents helped her carry her luggage out to their car before saying goodbye. Winry tried to push away the jealously that surged upon seeing Rose's mother "mommy coddle" her. Rose let out an exasperated sigh, "Parents huh?"

It was hard to bring up any sympathy for her roommate as she watched her follow them out the door. She never dwelled on the absence of her parents, but seeing Rose with hers made it that much harder.

Winry reclined back in her chair as she stared at the ceiling, trying to push away the unnecessary urge to cry. So she wouldn't be able to go home for Thanksgiving, so what? The past two weeks had proved that things could be worse.

"Knock knock."

Sitting up straight she blinked hard to clear any evidence of her troubles. "Hey Ed."

He walked in, plopping himself on her bed. "Thought you would have left already." He mused as he flipped through her open Xing history book.

She tried to act as if it was no big deal. "Oh, I decided not to go."

The corner of his lips pulled down, "And why aren't you going home?" He asked suspiciously.

"I've got some studying to do." She lied smoothly.

Ed put the book down, glaring at her. "Winry."

The heat rose to her cheeks as she tried to keep from spilling the truth. "I've got to work at the garage too ya know."

"Both good reasons, but they don't explain why you aren't going home." He concluded smugly, like a detective in an interrogation.

"I can't afford the train ride home and I don't have a car. So I will be working at the garage and doing homework…like I said!"

It was hard to not melt under his piercing stare, "You want to go visit your granny right?" He said each word slowly like he was thinking it over himself.

For being a genius sometimes he sure was slow. "Yes Edward, why else would I want to go there?"

His serious expression startled her as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of cash. Holding it out in front of him he thrust it at her. "Here, that should be enough."

"I'm not taking your money Ed."

Looking intimidating he stood up to his full height to look down at her. "Just take the money. Think of it as payment for fixing my car."

"I'm not taking your money." She repeated.

"Fine then! Pack your damn bags and I'll drive your ass there!" He left the room in a huff, the door slamming in his wake.

Her first reaction was to follow him right out that door and knock him over the head for talking to her like that, but then she realized what he had just said. She sat there completely stunned for a few minutes before she started to smile. Picking up her phone she redialed her grandma's number. "Hey Gran. Looks like I'm coming home for Thanksgiving…mind if I bring someone with me?"

**(Ed POV)**

It was all her fault that his temper had gotten away from him. The sad look in her eyes and that obstinately stubborn streak of hers had forced him to say it. The worst part was that he didn't even realize it, not until he was back in his room packing for the weekend.

Had he really just invited himself to spend Thanksgiving with Winry and her grandma? It didn't sound so bad; he hadn't been planning on anything else. His thoughts flickered to Al but that only made his cheeks burn, his kid brother would be way too enthralled to know that he was going to spend the holiday with Winry. Spending the weekend with his best friend wasn't at all daunting, but spending the weekend at a _girl's_ house for a holiday…that made things a little awkward.

He picked up one of Winry's suitcases and put it in the trunk. "Geez woman, you pack your entire toolbox in here?"

She smirked at him like he had said something funny. "What else would I put in there?"

Luckily she enjoyed the same music he did, which made the ride a little more enjoyable than he had thought. She hummed along with the slower song, her fingers taping out the beat on the car door. From there he occasionally glanced over at her when she had gone quiet, her eyes shut. He had planned on driving through the night but with Winry fast asleep he couldn't exactly keep his music turned up. The urge to close his own eyes was growing harder and harder to resist. Pulling off to the side of the country road he cut the engine, wiping his hands down his face and slapping his cheeks. Still no good, he felt just as tired as before. Judging by the time he still had about another three hours left of the drive before they hit her part of Resembool. A train would have been faster but one didn't leave till tomorrow and driving had seemed like a quicker solution. That and for some reason having an entire drive alone with her to himself had seemed more appealing than a train ride.

After Winry had fallen asleep he found it harder and harder to keep his focus on the road. The sight of her chest rising slowly and falling was like counting sheep. Fuck it, he was in no shape to drive. Putting on his hazards he decided that a little cat nap would do the trick. Nodding off he decided his dreams had taken a funky turn. At some point in his dream he thought he felt Winry pick him up and he could have sworn he saw her driving his car…weird.

"Ed…Ed…EDWARD!"

"Wuh? Huh… I'm up, I'm up!" He protested adamantly, his hands grabbing for a steering wheel that wasn't there. Startled out of his sleep he looked at the dashboard in front of him as well as the yellow house at the top of the hill they were currently at the bottom of. "What the…?"

Winry laughed unbuckling her seatbelt and dangling his keys over him. "Thought I'd save us some time and finish the drive while you were asleep."

"Huh? YOU DROVE MY CAR?" He accused her loudly.

Rolling her eyes she got out of the car like it was nothing. "Oh don't be a spoil sport Ed; if I did anything to your car it wouldn't be anything I couldn't fix."

She had a point, _of course she did_. His dream was beginning to make a lot more sense. Getting out the car he started to look around when suddenly a black and white blur came out of nowhere, knocking him off his feet. "Ah! Get it off me!"

The once fearsome looking dog was now licking his face sweetly, making Ed feel a little embarrassed at his overreaction.

"Aw, she likes you Ed. Come on Den!" Winry called gently to her pet.

The dog's ears instantly perked up at her master's call, giving Ed a chance to notice her automail leg. Getting to his feet he watched as she ruffled the dog's fur as it nuzzled her affectionately. A part of him liked the fact that she could be so enamored over a creature that had metal for an appendage…_so he did stand a chance_. No wonder her and Al got along so well, they both seemed of like mind when it came to furry creatures.

"Come on Ed, you can carry the bags up this way." She ran up to the house with the dog at her heels, leaving him to manage their luggage…alone. Cursing under his breath he halted at the door when someone cleared their throat behind him.

"Edward Elric, I remember you."

Ed dropped the bags, his mouth hanging open at the old woman standing behind him. "You!" He pointed at her incredibly; she had been at his mother's funeral. She had been there with a little girl…a blonde little girl. He flinched, that's why he hated Resembool, too many memories too close to the surface.

Winry walked out the front door watching them stare each other down. "You two know each other?" She asked curiously.

"Still a little short for your age, huh Edward?" Winry's grandmother antagonized him.

"Who are you calling short ya old hag?"

"Ed! That's my grandma!" Winry reprimanded him.

Winry's grandmother just laughed, "Ah don't worry about it Winry. This is Hohenheim's boy; I'm surprised you don't remember. You two were practically inseparable when you were little."

He exchanged a glance with Winry. Is that why she seemed so familiar to him?

"What?" Winry asked in disbelief.

"I did his automail surgery; his father and I are old drinking buddies."

"You..? He what?" Ed sputtered, gaping at her granny. That bastard never mentioned knowing a Rockbell! Not like he had held a conversation long enough to find out, but still.

"Grandma…you never said anything when I told you who I was bringing home!" Winry glared at the little woman.

Looking a little devious she shrugged, "Winry dear, I thought you knew."

"Unhuh. Well we better get our stuff inside. You _coming _Ed?" Winry asked as she held the door open for him.

Ed froze, his eyes widening. Maybe it was a product of spending too much time with his fraternity brothers or maybe his mind had been in the gutter since the beginning of this trip.

"Uh, Ed?"

He forced himself to think of his dad and Winry's grandmother drinking together…ugh that definitely drove away the embarrassment of having to explain why his pants had grown tighter. "Alright, alright." At this rate he wasn't going to survive the weekend.

To his astonishment he grew accustomed to the place right away. It was effortless being with Winry and amusing to fall into a carefree banter with the old hag. After a delicious Thanksgiving dinner he and Winry had settled on the front porch swing. "Ah." He exclaimed leaning back. "That was one for the books."

"Really?" Winry asked as if she didn't understand how delectable her cooking was.

"Try microwave dinners for the past ten years and then you'll understand."

He watched her toy with the hem of her pretty white dress. "Will you come for a walk with me?" She proposed, a faraway look in her eyes.

Glancing down at his stomach he grinned, "I think it's digested enough for movement."

There was a look in her eyes that kept him from asking where they were going. The mixture of sadness and yearning gave her away, even if the fall flowers she stopped to pick along the way didn't do it. When they reached the gates to the cemetery he had already prepared himself. This was one of the reasons why he didn't like being in Resembool, just seeing the marker brought forth feelings he usually kept bottled away.

"You can stay out here if you want." She stared at the vacant hill and the grave markers that dotted its side.

She was a brave girl. "I make it a point to avoid this place. My mother's buried here, I haven't been here since her funeral." He admitted reluctantly.

She took a few steps forward, her bangs shadowing her face. "Oh…I understand. I'll just be a minute then."

If she could break the wall he had put around himself, then he could break hers. "Then you won't mind if I join you?"

That heartbreakingly beautiful smile lit up her face, "I'd like that."

When at last they reached the identical tombstones he watched her step forward and kneel between them. "Happy Thanksgiving." She placed some flowers on each of their graves before handing him the last couple. He knew that look, the one where the tension went out and her pretty blue eyes began to sparkle, her lips trembling slightly.

He hated when she cried. There was something decidedly wrong and painful about watching someone so lovely look so forlorn. Switching the flowers to his automail hand, he reached out to hold her hand in his real one. What was more surprising than her hand suddenly in his was what he had spotted while trying to avoid her curious eyes. It had been so long that he figured it would take a few minutes to find, but there it was. Only a couple of markers down from Winry's parents sat a familiar headstone. The sight made the lump in his throat unavoidable, his hand subconsciously squeezing hers harder than was necessary.

Reluctantly he let her hand go as he stooped to place the last of the flowers in front of the aged marker. "Do you think they knew each other?"

"If gran drank with your dad, I'm sure they did." Winry contemplated with a bemused smile.

There was something that had been bugging him, "I don't see how we could have known each other."

They began to walk back in the direction of her house. "It was a long time ago Ed, we probably just don't remember."

The words were out before he had a chance to reel them back in. "Yeah, but how could I have forgotten someone like you?"

He watched her consider his words, the silence making his anxiety grow. Had he just blown his cover?

Instead of looking freaked out or disturbed by his proclamation she just gloated. "See, behind all that bravado is a great guy. I knew there was a reason why you're my best friend."

"Good." He laughed, thinking he was off the hook for the moment. "I thought you only liked me because of my automail."

"You forgot the car, I like the car too." She teased him.

When their laughter had died away he knew he shouldn't pry, but he wanted to know everything about her. "How old were you when they passed away?"

Winry exhaled as she wrapped her arms around her torso as if to hold herself together. "I was eight years old when they left for the war. They continued to stay and help the Ishval people long after they were told to evacuate. I remember the day they left, they promised me they would come back, they promised me they would come home. And I believed them…" She stopped talking, holding her hand to her mouth. Her eyes swam, "I hated them for breaking their promise to me…"

He was terrible at comforting people, but wrapping his arms around her seemed like the best way to help. The pain washed over him as he felt her body shake with tears. "I'm sorry Win, you don't have to tell me all this."

"No." She wiped her eyes, hugging him tighter. "It's nice to have someone who understands."

The weekend went by far too fast and soon enough they were packed and ready to leave. Ed was going to help pack her bags into the car when he noticed her eyes staring wide at something behind him. Turning around, he noticed a cork board full of pictures hanging on the wall. His mouth went dry at the photo in the dead center. There she was, Trisha Elric, her kind brown eyes so full of a life Ed could hardly remember. The picture had both his brother and father in it, but to see his mother again…it was hard. His father had put away her pictures after some time and after moving to the city they had disappeared altogether.

"She was beautiful." Winry commented delicately.

He nodded his head, unable to speak for the moment.

"I'll just take these out to the car." Winry touched his shoulder gently before leaving.

But it wasn't just that picture that had him rooted to the spot. There were other pictures, Winry as a little girl, Winry and her parents, and then there was a picture that made even his ears turn pink. So the old hag hadn't been lying. Al was leaning against the base of a large oak tree, Ed and Winry sitting on a lower branch. Winry might have been looking at the camera but there he was, staring blindly at her. "Go figure." He might have put it in his pocket to get rid of any evidence of what was clearly a recurring crush or maybe he just didn't want to let it out of his sight just yet. Either way he hoped the old lady wouldn't say anything.

Never thought he'd actually miss Resembool, but after spending the weekend at the Rockbell house he knew he was going to. He might even miss the old lady. As they began to drive away he nearly drove off the road when he felt Winry kiss his cheek.

Slamming on the brakes he gaped open mouthed at her. "What was that for?"

Winry smiled happily, "Thanks for everything this weekend."

"That's what friends are for, right?" He hated that his voice shook a little; hopefully she wouldn't notice that his heart rate had skyrocketed at the touch of her lips.

**(Gracia POV)**

It took a few phone calls and a little help from her mom's recipe book, but it was done. Standing back from her hard work she beamed triumphantly at the sight. The small turkey looked great and all the side dishes had turned out perfectly. Riza finished placing a salad with perfectly sliced cucumbers, tomatoes and carrots on top.

"Think they'll like it?" Gracia asked expectantly.

"I knew there were intruders, no one cooks in this place." Roy grinned at the two of them.

Gracia looked over Roy's shoulder as Maes joined them a moment later. As soon as his eyes took in the Thanksgiving feast they had concocted the tired expression on his face waned. "You two are incredible." He spoke in awe.

Of course their meal had not gone unnoticed, but Gracia had made more than enough. Breda, Fuery, Falman, and even Havoc showed up. While they all began to sit around the table, Maes offered a toast. "To my lovely Gracia for this wonderful meal!" He expressed fervently.

Her cheeks felt hot as she looked around at the boys heartfelt thanks echoed around the table. "I couldn't have done it without Riza." She admitted modestly.

Riza shook her head, "Nonsense, I just helped cut up some stuff for the salad. Besides it was your idea to make a Thanksgiving dinner since all of us are stuck here for the holiday."

"Let's eat!" Breda whined, his eyes glued to the bowl of mashed potatoes in front of him.

Maes grabbed her hand under the table, his eyes twinkling. "Have I told you how much I love you?"

"Yes, but you can keep saying it."

His grin widened as he leaned in to kiss her lightly on the cheek.

"Aw come on guys, not at the table!" Havoc moaned. A green bean flew across the table hitting Maes in the head.

"Hey!" Hughes laughed loudly as a few other pieces of food got thrown his way.

Breda held up his hands between them, looking visibly concerned for the well-being of his meal. "Leave the food out of this!"

No one left the table hungry and after several complimentary belches from her favorite boys she felt satisfied that her first attempt at preparing a Thanksgiving meal had gone well. "You did good." Roy patted her on the back before retreating to the living room where the TV blasted the details of a football game. Unexpectedly, Riza was yelling just as loud as the boys were. It was clear their team had just scored a touchdown without even having to watch the screen.

As she began to clear the dishes from the dining room she felt hands sneak around her waist and pull her close. "That better be you Maes." She chuckled, putting the dishes back down.

"Why? Is it not me sometimes?" He asked pretending to be hurt.

She slapped him playfully.

"I'll totem Fuery and Havoc to do the dishes. Can I steal you for the night?" He asked huskily in her ear.

Turning in his embrace she kissed him on the lips, letting the warm sensation complete her night. "You had me at the dishes." She whispered seductively.

Grinning he led the way up to his room. To say she thought the night would end with cuddling would be a lie. Despite her earlier attempt at seducing him and failing, she had a feeling tonight would be different. He laid her down on his bed, propping himself over her with his arms. "I love you Gracia."

She wrapped her arms around him, her hands flattening over his back. He groaned softly as she pulled him closer. "Are you sure?" He asked softly.

"You're the one I want, there is nothing else. How else can I prove it to you?" She could only hold out a little bit longer before the urge to jump him took over.

Without preamble he began to push his shirt up over his head, allowing her hands to help him. Maes had never been a muscle man but the sight of him shirtless made her heart pound faster in her chest. "What?" He asked a bemused smile on his face.

Running her hands down his chest, her nerves calmed at the sight of his kind eyes. "I don't think I can wait any longer."

The corner of his eyes crinkled as he grinned, "Took the words right out of my mouth."

She had been tired from running, tired from work and school, but this…this was a completely different kind of tired. There were sore places on her body even she didn't know existed! But the calm feeling that had settled between them was of such a sweet serenity that she figured maybe she finally understood. To be with someone both physically and emotionally like this, it pretty much sealed the deal.

"Best Thanksgiving ever." Maes kissed her before closing his eyes.

Gracia smiled back her agreement as she laid down against his chest. She listened to his heartbeat slow, her own eyelids sliding shut.

**(Riza POV)**

Riza didn't consider herself a prude; not when it came to Roy. It would probably shock the hell out of their friends to know she had a different side besides her stern and practical nature. But even she couldn't help but stop and stare.

Roy stood next to her, their eyes locked on Hughes bedroom door. "Does this mean I won the bet?"

"I didn't think he had it in him." Riza pondered; of course she had bet that they wouldn't make it official until they were married. But from their standpoint it was pretty obvious what was going on. "Are we that loud?" She asked fearing the worst.

"Louder." Havoc answered as he breezed by towards his room at the end of the hallway.

"President Mustang, do I have permission to annihilate one of your subordinates?"

Roy smirked, "I like it when you use that term. But no, I will handle this myself! "

**(Zolf Kimbley POV)**

Kimbley staggered outside, his eyes unfocused as he felt his way through the dark. The terrible memory surged past the alcohol in his system. Forcing him to recall things he wanted to forget.

"_Why did you want to meet me up here?" Tyrone asked._

_If word got out what he and his fraternity brothers had done to those girls, he would lose everything. His career as a politician would be done before it even began. He needed to gain his power back; he needed to have the upper hand. "You threatened my life; I thought I would exchange the favor."_

_Tyrone's face paled as he saw the gun in his hands. "Easy man, you don't want to do this." _

Kimbley clutched at his head, the memories flashing through his head. Grabbing the bottle he downed what was left.

_Yes, you should be scared he thought viciously. "Oh I don't want to do anything, I need to do this." Kimbley spat out._

_Tyrone backed up towards the edge, his gaze flickering between the gun and the edge. "Zolf, this isn't you."_

"_Oh? But weren't you just threatening me about that little incident from two years ago? This is exactly what I need to be doing." There was a certain amount of satisfaction that came from watching the guy lose it._

"_Please man, don't do this."_

_He was about to say something else to push the guys buttons when suddenly Tyrone made a lunge at the gun in his hands. Twisting around, he pushed his elbow out, firmly planting his feet. Tyrone fumbled for a second, his hands no longer fighting but grasping for him. Kimbley's mouth opened in horror as Tyrone's body arched over the edge, his bulging eyes transmitting a final plea. He remained frozen in place as he watched Tyrone James disappear. _

_The gun felt heavy in his hands as it dawned on him what had happened. He wanted to threaten the guy, make him scared enough to keep his mouth shut, wield him to see things his way…not kill him. The threat was there, but he had never meant to carry it out._

His mind kept reliving that single memory, over and over again. Kimbley lined up his gun with the empty fifth and fired, the glass shattering on impact. He fired several more times, his target already gone but his need still great. Something had been brewing inside him, something that wanted out. No one knew it was him, but he knew and that meant the dark days were far from over.

* * *

A/N: Sorry, I know this chapter is all over the place, but I couldn't help myself. Each time I go back to edit another character begs to have their part added!

**Next Chapter: Make a Wish**

Kimbley's dark secret cant remain a secret forever, find out what happens at the Fairytale ball.


	15. Make a Wish

**A/N:** I hope I am not disappointing anyone, but if you haven't figured it out already I am a self-proclaimed soap opera writer. I write cheap smut hidden behind the façade of a well-intentioned plot. I appreciate all of you reviewing and helping me mold this into something a smidge better than what it was before. Enjoy.

**Chapter 15: Make a Wish**

**(Miles POV)**

There are those days when everything just fits, you catch the winning pass and you kiss the girl of your dreams. Then there are days like today, days when you can't remember if there was ever a time when things went right. Practice had been the worst the team had seen all season. It had been decided that he would take Olivia's spot as quarterback, but her reaction had him second guessing his choice to accept it all day.

Wiping his face with a clean towel he headed back to his locker. The sound of raised voices coming from behind the coaches closed door froze him in his tracks. It didn't matter how close he was, it would have been impossible to miss the heated debate going on inside. From his standpoint he could clearly make out Olivia's demanding voice overpower the swearing antics of the old coach. Buccaneer shot him a knowing look which he cowardly shook off, not wanting to discuss this unpleasant downturn in events. His relationship with Olivia on and off the field was supposed to be completely separate, but unfortunately it looked like they were headed for a collision.

His gaze trained on the door waiting for her exit and hoping to ease her stress. When at last the door flew open he watched her stormy figure pause under his stare. Her eyes set ablaze as she slammed the door behind her, making a beeline for the girl's locker room. He barely managed to grab her arm in his haste to halt her.

"Don't you dare touch me." She responded coldly, her tone low enough for their transaction to remain discreet.

Staring blankly down the hallway he watched her figure fade out of sight. A feeling of dread swept down upon his shoulders as he began to put away his practice gear; hyper aware of all the eyes on his back. He thought back to their freshmen year when they had promised each other they would be irreplaceable members to the team. They wouldn't let anyone treat them for what they were but for what they could do. No matter what it took, they vowed they would push each other to the top. Funny how childish it all sounded in his head. He had been happy for her when she had done it, he had loved her more for the strength it had taken for her to lead the team to the playoffs.

As his teammates began to pour out of the building he fought with the prideful voice that kept nagging at him. It snidely reminded him that this was his time, not hers. She had her moment of glory, now it was his…shouldn't she be happy for him?

Throwing his helmet against the locker he watched it roll uselessly across the floor. All the anger and frustration flooded him as he held his head in his hands, banging his forehead against his locker. He exhaled in exasperation. "Dammit Olivia."

He wanted, no, needed to talk to her. The next days practice was a miserable testament to the strong group that had once played on this field together. The tension between him and Olivia had stretched out from their reach and had now fallen upon the team as a whole. The days practice kept going from bad to worse. He had really jinxed himself for calling Olivia's distracted practice the day before the worst he had ever seen. Now it seemed the tables had turned and this time they were both playing like shit. He could feel her eyes on him, but that judging gaze had rendered him useless on the field, his confidence crippled at his feet. The worst part had been her silence; he was used to her barking out orders, challenging his every move…but to be so quiet? The silence sank so much deeper than any harsh words she could have said.

After a brutal and unrewarding practice he was left sitting in the Coach's office, watching as the middle aged man's vein pulsed menacingly at his temple. But this was nothing compared the awful wrath he had felt radiating off Olivia as they had walked off the field.

"I'm going to be frank with you Miles, you played like shit today." The coach barked shamelessly.

True statement, but disappointing none the less. A knock sounded on the door behind him, temporarily reliving him from the verbal abuse he was likely to endure.

Olivia's head poked in. "You wanted to see me coach?" Her eyes widened temporarily at the sight of him already occupying the space.

Standing up his Coach paced the small space. "Sit down Armstrong."

She obliged obediently, avoiding the penetrating stare he was directing her way.

Slamming his palms on his desk their coach quickly drew their attention. He faced them with a look that would make most men quake in their boots, but Miles could tell Olivia was far from fazed and neither was he. "I don't know what is going on between you two-"

"Sir I-"Miles began to try to defend any accusation right there.

"And I don't want to know." He stressed loudly. "But whatever it is, it ends here you understand?"

Miles flinched at how quickly Olivia accepted this. He followed with a more sluggish. "Yes sir."

"Good, now get the hell out of my office."

Before Olivia had a chance to evade him again he yanked her arm, pulling her with him by force. She let out an indignant cry. "Who do you think you are?" She spat the words out at him like poison.

He pulled her into the first aid room and shut the door firmly behind them. "Who do you think you are?" He fired back with no anger in his voice, just exhaustion.

"You've ruined everything!" She exclaimed in a childlike accusation. "Look at us? Look at what this is doing to us!"

Not wanting to follow where this was headed he waited till her guard was down before he strode forward and kissed her harshly on the mouth. There is no rhyme or reason why the wrong can feel so right. She started to squirm but he grasped her shoulders to keep her where she stood. It took a while but eventually he felt her muscles relax and the passion that had run through her angered veins began to switch to an alternate current.

Their bodies moved quickly, the switch of the lock of the door a mere second of motion before they were entwined. There were a lot of things left unsaid, but with her hands on his chest he couldn't remember a thing. The physicality of playing football had drilled his body into reaction not thought. Now the only thing he knew was that he wanted to be with her, no matter the cost.

He bent forward and kissed her naked shoulder before picking up his last article of clothing and pulling his shirt over his head.

"I'm still mad at you for taking my spot." She finally spoke, the earlier aggression absent.

"And I'm still upset that you can't just be happy for me." He answered truthfully.

They didn't need to say anything but he knew this shaky truce wasn't a good place to stay. "Are you still going to come out to lunch with me before the game?" He asked thinking she might possibly reject him.

"Better be somewhere nice." She grumbled before kissing him hard on the mouth and leaving him standing alone in the first aid room, wondering if just possibly he had imagined the whole thing.

With her being so busy with planning the charity ball and football they hadn't had time to really talk since their meeting in the first aid room. He had taken her request to heart, and was hell bent on fixing the rift that had carelessly formed between them. The quiet conversations floated around the classy restaurant, the dim lighting a perfect mood setter. As uncomfortable as he had felt about coming here it had only gotten worse with time. Miles sat alone at the table he had put on reserve, his eyes on the empty glass in front of him. She was over an hour late and so far none of his calls had reached her. Feeling a little foolish in the fancy place he stored his pride and asked for a check, the bottle of expensive wine taking a bite out of his wallet. It was a long way home and for the first time he really felt alone. Tugging down his tie he felt his cheeks burn with embarrassment as he walked shame faced from the place.

Cab fee was more than he was willing to spend as he thought about the disaster of a night. He was never one to submit to anger but the distance might help him walk off the temptation. She had agreed just the other day, did she change her mind? His blood ran cold, had something happened to her? Pulling out his cell he kept hitting redial, the idea of being stood up more appealing than the alternative. Turning on to Greek row he froze as her name lit up his phone screen.

"Olivia." He breathed as if his world had found its balance once again.

"This better be important Miles, I've got a ball to orchestrate and a sorority to run before I head up to the stadium for the game tonight." She reprimanded him as if _he_ had done something wrong.

His lips pressed against one another as he mulled over her words. It was hard to forgive the annoyance in her tone but he managed to push it away. Fixing the earlier panic from his voice he tried to explain himself without accusing her. "I wasn't aware that our lunch was cancelled."

He could hear Olivia's impatience in her punctuated words. "Lunch? Listen Miles I don't have time for this, I'll see you tonight."

"Olivia…" Her temperament was nothing new, but with everything they had overcome recently he thought maybe she might hear him out. It felt like he was the only one who was trying to save their relationship. "Wish you would have called instead of standing me up."

"Don't be dramatic Miles just because I didn't answer your fifty calls doesn't mean I stood you up." She protested haughtily.

Miles frowned, the blow striking harder than he thought. "No you are right; not answering my calls doesn't mean you stood me up, but not showing up is."

This time he knew she was being selfish. "Listen I don't want to fight with you, not before the game."

Feeling suddenly spiteful he gritted his teeth. "You don't want to spend time with me, you don't want me to play quarterback, what the hell do you want form me!" The words stung worse out loud, but there was no turning back now.

On any other occasion he might have marveled at his ability to finally stun Olivia into silence, but this wasn't what he had envisioned. No longer did he want to keep fighting alone. "I know what I am and I know what I'm not. I'll do us both a favor and end this before you kill what little friendship is left between us now." He loathed that those words had the courage to speak.

The line went dead before he closed his phone. The rage beneath his skin burned like a dull itch. Football season was almost over and from the looks of it they would be too.

**(Ed POV)**

Central University was the largest University in Amestris, but he wasn't dumb enough to believe that word wouldn't spread like wildfire. He was going to have to explain himself, but he wasn't really sure how to explain something he wasn't entirely aware of either. Just what had been the outcome of his trip home with Winry was debatable, a debate his brothers had taken up with wild enthusiasm.

He was beginning to feel like a broken record as they repeatedly questioned why he would chose to spend the holiday with a girl's family. "Yes, I willingly went home with Winry she-"

Havoc's mouth dropped open, his loud voice interrupting him before he could finish his explanation. "Hold up, did you knock her up?"

Breda spit out the beer in his mouth, the can in his hand dropping to the floor. "What?"

Roy patted him on the back, "Don't waste good beer on this one Heymans, I don't believe our Fullmetal has ever even gotten laid."

Ed glared at Roy for that last comment before addressing Havoc's rumor inducing mouth. The scowl on his face reflected his complete dislike for this conversation. He couldn't decide what was worse, Havoc insinuating the only reason Winry would invite him for Thanksgiving was because she was knocked up or that Roy thought he couldn't get laid. Roy might have hit the nail on the head, but like hell he was going to admit to his brothers that he had never gotten really that far with a girl.

"She needed a ride, so I drove her." He admitted without disclosing the reason why he had been all too happy to oblige.

Denny shook his head from his position on the floor of the living room, "Tough break Ed looks like you're in the friend zone now."

Ed figured Denny must be thinking about himself and that girl Maria Ross. "But we are friends." He protested.

Roy crossed the room, loftily putting his arm around Ed's shoulders. "Little brother you don't want to be in the friend zone. The friend zone is the place of no return."

"Pft, you're one to talk." Ed scoffed, suddenly conscious that he was no longer denying that he was upset about being in this friend zone.

"Roy you and Riza were good friends and now look at the two of you, soul mates!" Maes contradicted with a bemused grin.

Falman jerked up out of his sleep, his eyes half shut. "Tell me that was you Maes and not-"

"Brothers!" Alex exclaimed as he joined them, his magnanimous presence suffocating. Any time a conversation turned towards love and soul mates you were bound to run into Maes or Armstrong.

"Oh no." Falman rolled over on the floor, burying himself in the pillow he had been dozing off against.

Now Ed could see why this date auction the guys had been talking about was Armstrong's favorite tradition. In an attempt to raise more money towards Tyrone's favorite charity they were going to auction themselves off, donating the proceeds to Make-A-Wish. But Alex Armstrong was another story entirely. The large man was already shirtless, the slight shine to his muscles making everyone in the room cringe. "We must prepare our bodies for the auction. To the gym!" The large man boasted happily.

Some of the brothers looked towards Roy to stop the madness, but Roy was smirking in good humor. "Looks like some of you better get working out. Not everyone can look as good in a swim suit as I can. Especially those of us who don't have the guts to ask a girl out."

Ed glared at Roy before managing to duck out the back door of the house before Armstrong could take notice. There was something he needed to do. Walking to his car he let his mind wander to a familiar face. Ever since driving back from Resembool he was reeling with indecision. The way he felt about Winry, the life of her smile and the passion of her anger…they were all hers. He wasn't looking for a relationship, but he was a guy, a guy with needs and his body was telling him this was a need he could satisfy. Holy hell. There was no way he was going to be able to watch her lean over him during lab or have her in his dorm room studying, there was no way he was going to be able to pretend he didn't feel different than he had before. The basic movements of their friendship were going to be challenging to maintain if he couldn't stifle these kinds of thoughts.

Driving into the city his only assurance, that his father was out of town, had been the deciding factor. The idea of running into him at his apartment wasn't appealing in the least, but he needed to see Al. Walking through the front door he frowned, something was different about the place. Trying to pin point it he felt a tickling in his nose. Resisting the urge to sneeze he looked around the ostentatious space. "Al?" He called out.

"Uh just a minute." Alphonse's voice squeaked.

If Ed wasn't suspicious up to this point, he was now. "Dammit Al, why does this place look like a tornado touched down?" He stepped over a few displaced magazines lying haphazardly in the hallway. Making his way back towards his brothers room he ignored his brothers plead to wait another second. No. His brother was up to something and he was going to get to the bottom of it.

He didn't bother knocking before throwing his brothers door wide open.

There is a code among brothers, knowledge of young adolescent boys that slipped his mind, but boy did it come back tenfold as a girl shrieked and his brother lunged for the door. Embarrassment would have been a proper reaction if he hadn't identified the girl right away.

His stomach lurched as he stared wide eyed. "Winry?"

Her expression was furious, his eyes hawkish. "Ed you idiot! Didn't you hear what your brother said?"

Al pushed him aside and bolted out the door. Ed really did feel like an idiot, why was his brother running from him? This was like some kind of weird twilight zone moment, one he wished sincerely was the twilight zone and he could just as easily slip back into reality.

"Cut him off in the living room!" Al yelled back towards the spot where Ed was still standing horrorstruck.

"Cut him off? Cut who off?" Ed asked bewildered at what was happening around him.

Winry sighed, the anger dissipating. "He told you to wait, we had just corned Sebastian when _you_ ignored his warning and barged through the damn door!"

Just as Ed was piecing together who was this Sebastian the tiny culprit came tearing around the corner, its little legs running furiously as it escaped Al's outstretched hands. "Al!" he yelled in warning.

Al scrambled to his feet, already taking chase again. "He's just a little baby Ed; he needed a place to stay." He gasped between lunges.

Ed didn't even try to help, he pointed at it as it whizzed by again. "That is not a baby, that is a wild animal."

"It's not like you're here anyways, why do you care?" Al pronounced, his small hint of anger an immediate sign of worry for the older brother. Come to think of it, with the tutor and all meals brought in Al never left the place. With his friends all back home in Resembool of course he wouldn't have visitors. An excited squeal broke him away from the verge of guilt ridden solace he had been about to embark upon.

"I got him!" Winry exclaimed triumphantly.

"Why are you even here?" Ed asked, his discomfort for the situation switching his mood to a reflexive defensive.

She ignored him and stroked the kitten's fur with her index finger.

"I invited her." Al answered sheepishly.

"Shouldn't you be resting?" Ed protested, looking around the room. "And didn't dad hire a maid for this place anyways?"

"Was there even a reason you stopped by?" Al countered, the hurt etched in his face.

Fighting with Al was not why he had come. "Do I need a reason to check up on my little brother?"

Winry excused herself at that moment, mentioning something about feeding Sebastian before flashing a warning look at Ed. She didn't need to speak to let him know that he needed to cut the sarcasm.

"Sorry." Al admitted his face crestfallen. "I know we aren't supposed to have pets, but it's been so lonely up here and then I needed someone to get it food and I don't know anyone but you and dad really and then I remembered Winry and I called her and she came over-"

Ed held up his hand, cutting off his little brothers rant. "You need to get better first Al."

Al nervously fiddled with the blanket on the back of the couch, "I want to go back to school."

"Don't you have a tutor who comes here?"

There was a silence in which Ed could hear Winry cooing at the furry leech in the kitchen.

"I've been studying brother; I can start high school as a senior this year!"

Ed scoffed, "You're not ready for that, you've never even been to high school."

It was immediately apparent that Al must have been preparing for this conversation for quite some time. "I've already tested into 12th grade and the school year has just begun, I've really only missed three months and I learn fast!"

To a stranger it might seem weird that his younger brother was asking his permission to go to school. But for as much as Al did still count Hohenheim as their father, Ed knew that their bond as brothers was a lot closer than that of their father. Al continued as if he knew that Ed were about to cut him down again. "You've got all your friends and a whole new life at Central University. Why can't you let me have the same kind of chance?"

He had no answer for that one; it was just selfish over possessiveness that made him believe he needed to keep his brother locked away from the cruel world. It occurred to him that his brother wasn't so little anymore, he was a teenager who had been numb to this world for long enough.

"I think it's a great idea." Winry interjected her eyes kind as she joined them again. She sat down next to Al, placing the sleeping kitty onto his lap. "Look at him; he drank the entire bottle of formula and now he's out cold. No wonder you like him Al, he's just like Ed. All you have to do is fill his stomach and then he's putty in your hands."

Ed bristled at the remark, but found that watching his brother and Winry laugh like old friends was far too comforting to ruin the moment. "Well when are you going to start at the new school because I need to make sure you have a driver to take you there-" His words were cut off as Al embraced him tightly, cat and all.

"Woo hoo!"

Complaining about his brother smelling like cat he managed to escape his clutches, but it was hard to stifle the widening grin on his face.

**(Riza POV)**

Riza knew she needed her game face for this one. Just seeing all the boys bickering as they walked around in swimwear was enough to make even the most vigilantly respectful spectator lose it. Snickering from behind her hand, she felt justified at the reddening cheeks of some of the guys. It was nice to have the tables turned, to have them be put in the light where people ogled at them like eye candy. She watched as some of the Tri Pi girls threw suggestive remarks their way without any regard for their character, only vulgar and lude comments that made even her hair curl.

Ok, so maybe the boys didn't have a problem with that. Havoc seemed very much appeased to hear a cat call thrown his way, not that Rebecca let the girl eye her man up for much longer. Rebecca turned casually over her shoulder to flip her hair. She looked like she was addressing her but she was speaking loud enough for the girl in question to hear. "What a shame he has gonorrhea, and such a nice body too."

The little brunette looked a little pale and when Havoc sent her a flirtatious grin she looked pointedly in another direction.

"You're evil." Riza condemned her best friend, her smirk wider than before.

Rebecca shrugged, "For all I know it could be true."

"Unhuh and since when have you become the moral police of campus? Or is there something going on between you and Havoc that you're not telling me."

Rolling her eyes, Rebecca smiled as Havoc stood dumbstruck at the girl now treating him like the plague. "Just keeping my options open."

"When does this actually start?" Maria asked from her seat next to Winry. The two pledges got along pretty well; Riza thought it might have something to do with the fact that both Denny and Ed were pledge brothers. The two had common ground in the whole 'just friends' denial boat.

For now the boys had just been walking around the stage in their swimwear, including those who had no business in a speedo.

"It should have started about five minutes ago." Olivia added promptly, her eyes cast straightforward without seeing.

Riza shifted uncomfortably at the stagnant tone to her friend's voice. This was a charity date auction with the boys of BTA; it was supposed to be a good time. The loss of the game must be weighing heavily on her. Times like this she would have banked on Gracia to help out but that was another lost cause. Gracia was currently staring at the half naked version of her fiancé with a look that made Riza almost reach for a napkin to catch the drool from spilling down her chin.

Rebecca thankfully had caught on quick. "And I thought they were bad before." She complained as they watched Maes grin lopsided right back at Gracia, his brothers having to wave a hand in front of his face to get him backstage. "Was it really that good?" Rebecca asked without any restraint.

Gracia turned beat red, the smile that widened across her face saying it all. "Rebecca!" She admonished looking embarrassed but pleased none the less.

Riza grinned, she remembered her first time. Always the perfectionist she had approached the idea of being with Roy like that all wrong. It wasn't until she began to let go that she began to realize its full potential. Maes and Gracia were going to be unbearable when they learned that the first time wasn't the best time.

The date auction had the traditional bathing suit walk followed by a formal wear poise before the girls could bid on their man. Riza had already saved as much as she could for the occasion, but looking at the Tri Pi's she was suddenly a little worried. She was confidant in her own worth to know she didn't need to pay for his company but what if someone outbid her? She needed to remind herself that this was for charity.

It was, as she had expected, a good night. Breda had taken the cake with his performance in a speedo; a show you would have to go brain dead before you'd forget. Maes had put off any bids on his name by the way he kept winking at Gracia and calling out to her. Surprisingly, Armstrong managed to keep his bidders upping the ante as he continued to flex his muscles and put all the people in the room to shame. Riza didn't miss her sisters obvious discomfort at witnessing this show, Olivia shrunk in her seat in embarrassment. When a Tri Pi screamed in pleasure at finally securing him as her date for the ball Riza couldn't stifle the snort that escaped her mouth. If Alex was straight than she was a monkey's uncle.

Her body went rigid as Roy made his debut, ignoring the knowing looks from her sisters as she promptly placed her bid. Riza recognized the girl who continued to match her bid as the new president of Alpha Zeta. Suzy was her name? Standing up in her seat she threw her hand up. "$100" Effectively placing her claim to her man.

Everyone had gotten their choice, even shy Shieska managed to speak out long enough to snag Fuery. Riza was about to count the event as a perfect success until she noticed someone still anxiously awaiting the last brother to be auctioned off. Winry had her hands clasped together tightly in her lap, her lips in a straight, thin line. Of course Riza began to worry as Ed walked out and the Tri Pi's left in the room began to mutter something about his rich dad. Suzy was the first to bid making heads turn in her direction. Ed thankfully had the dignity to blush scarlet and turn his pleading stare to Winry. Winry held her own until the numbers went beyond $100. Her expression looked a little defeated as Suzy proudly threw out a bid of $200.

"$1,000." Olivia held her hand up lazily as the crowd murmured in awe.

Alex held his chest, "Oh the charity of my noble sister!"

Ed looked like he wanted to faint and Winry seemed to deflate a little, her weary smile weak as she tried to clap for her sister.

"Relax." Olivia said in a monotone, "I bought him for you little sis."

Riza couldn't help but notice the almost wistful tone her voice took as she shrugged out of Winry's embrace as the girl hugged her thankfully. "There's only one man who doesn't make me disgusted, and he's long gone."

The sisters watched in surprise as the strong willed Olivia bit her lip. "I'll see you girls back at the house." Her words trembled but her face remained stony.

**(Ed POV)**

Ed knew Winry was a pretty girl; at a glance anyone could tell you that. So when he first saw her standing there on the front porch of the Kappa Delta house he was feeling more nervous about the whole thing. Winry wasn't just a pretty girl, tonight she was undeniably the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes on. Her outfit fit the Cinderella idea she had worked out, though he wasn't sure he looked or felt anything like prince charming.

Walking up to the front porch he smoothed his hands against his pants, wiping away the sweat from his palms as he nervously approached her. Trying to cover up his self-consciousness about the whole thing he smirked at her. "Excited to go with the highest bided man?"

The roll of her eyes relaxed him a little; they were best friends, nothing to be scared about here. "I thought you were supposed to be prince charming?" She said matter-of-factly.

"Is that so? I only agreed because I get to wear a sword. Did your fairy godmother tell you to be home by midnight?" He asked jokingly. With the theme of the night being a fairy tale the dress code had been a suggestion by Gracia and enforced by Olivia.

Winry tapped her chin thoughtfully before grinning at him, "Unless your car is a pumpkin I think we should be ok." Then her smile disappeared and she moved close enough that he could feel her breath tickling his chin. "Winry?" He choked out.

She didn't look him in the eyes but let her hands slide down inside his jacket as she pulled his tie out. "You did it all wrong." She admonished him before setting out to make it right.

As her hands toyed with his neckline he found himself taking measured breaths in her stead. No one ever tells you that it's impossible to just be friends with a girl without somehow crossing this no man's land of what if? Winry had tricked him with her good sense of humor and kindly nature, but at the end of the day she couldn't just be a friend.

"There." She smiled appreciatively at her work. "Now we can go."

The ball was in full swing by the time they arrived, letting them slip into the crowd unnoticed. He was not alone in his discomfort of costume either. Several other guys had been submitted to the drudgery of having to adorn tights and leggings. No maneuvering of his hips was going to be enough to release the tight pressure on his groin. What he would do in the name of charity and a pretty girl.

Of course Mustang arrived dressed like a 007 agent, Riza in a slick red dress by his side. What kind of fairy tale was that from? "Looking good Fullmetal." His big brother remarked in passing, Winry's hand on his bicep was enough to keep him from lashing out at his 'brother'.

"Bastard." He mumbled under his breath.

Finding a table they sat awkwardly next to one another, Ed fishing for some useless small talk while he noticed her eyes flickering towards the dance floor. For being a self-proclaimed genius he wasn't sure how he could have overlooked the fact that dances involved dancing. The longing look didn't detach from her face as she continued to nod her head in passing agreement to whatever he said. There was a lot riding on this one night his conscious reminded him urgently as he tapped his metal digits against the table. He heard his brother's warnings in his head, if he failed to impress her tonight he would forever be her friend and nothing more. At some point that would have been ok, but not now, not after he had begun to think of her as something more. Mustering up some courage he started to ask her to dance when something else entirely flooded out of his mouth. "I'm going to get a drink, you want one?"

She peeled her gaze away from the crowd and shrugged her shoulders. "Sure, why not." She sighed and slumped in her chair as she turned back towards the people having a great time on the dance floor.

Pouring two cups of punch he sulked for a moment as he tried to figure out how to undo this hole he had dug himself into.

"How are things with that sweet little blond of yours?" Havoc approached him dressed in an old fashioned suit, animal like ears sitting on his head. "Easy there champ!" He put up his hands in defense after Ed shot him a warning look. "Just wanting to make sure you don't blow it."

That was the ticket, he hung his head miserably. "Too late."

Havoc raised his eyebrows, peering around a couple grinding in front of them to catch a glimpse of what he assumed was Winry from this distance. "Looks like she wants to dance."

"I know." He moaned bitterly.

Jean laughed loudly, "So ask her to dance, no easier way to score with the ladies than by showing them you can move your hips." He thrust his pelvis out to prove his point as he sent a look across the refreshment table towards a tipsy looking Tinkerbelle.

"If I wanted relationship advice, no offense, but your one of the last people I'd ask."

"None taken." Jean replied in good spirits as the slutty looking pixie girl smiled back at him.

Ed glanced over as the girl stumbled and waved at him, her slurred hello not attractive in the least. "You can't be serious."

Havoc shrugged his shoulders. "Nah just a little flirting. I don't like em wasted, horrible in bed ya know? Besides…" He pointed over to where Rebecca was wearing an elegant looking yellow dress. "I didn't dress up as the beast to miss out on beauty over there."

Maybe it was confidence he lacked, or maybe he just didn't think on the same perverted wavelength as most of his brothers. Either way he knew he needed to do a lot better than what he had been doing if he was going to win over a girl like Winry.

"Listen man, I'll tell you something." Havoc glanced over at Winry, his attitude turning serious. "I don't usually say this but for a girl like her you just need to be yourself. The more you worry about saying or doing the wrong thing, the more likely you are to do it. She likes you kid, she wouldn't be here with you if she didn't."

Havoc patted him on the back before sauntering over to where Rebecca was dancing. Ed chuckled to himself; that was probably the sanest advice he would ever get from the guy. He could just be himself right? That shouldn't be too hard.

**(Winry POV)**

Considering that he was her date for the night she really should have been more excited, but as they sat at the table she couldn't help but sigh. The dance floor was full of happy couples and people just having fun, and yet they happened to be subdued while Ed scoffed down half the snack buffet. Every time she tried to mention dancing he simple shoved another piece of food into his mouth shrugging his shoulders as he failed to make room for speech. Exasperated with his antics she stood up swiftly, the chair skidding out behind her. Pointing her finger at him in accusation she narrowed her eyes, "If you won't dance with me then I'll find someone who will!"

Winry immediately regretted her loud outburst. As if summoned to her call Zolf Kimbley appeared at her side. "Looking for a dance partner?" He asked, smiling kindly at her.

Taking back her words now seemed kind of foolish and embarrassing. She shot a look at Ed, praying that he might understand her predicament and offer to dance with her himself. Why she thought he might be able to pick up on her hints she couldn't explain.

Kimbley waited expectantly and she tried to rationalize that one dance couldn't be so bad. "I'll save the next dance for you Ed." She tried out, hoping he might still grasp her reasoning but he simply stared, the food visible in his mouth as it hung open.

After waiting all night to dance Winry suddenly wished she were back at the table watching Ed stuff his face. Zolf preferred to dance close, his hands roaming around her curves and making her extremely uncomfortable. Trying to put some space between them she occasionally twirled out or sidestepped his needy grasp, but the crowded space tended to push her right back into his arms. Exhausted by what a dismal night it was turning out to be she remembered the drink Edward had brought her and thought perhaps it might serve as a good excuse.

Touching his shoulder she cringed at having to lean in to him so he could hear her. "I'm going to get something to drink."

The tension rose in her shoulders as he placed his palm against the dip in her back following right behind her. "Let me." He insisted.

Left alone for a moment she maneuvered her way back to where Edward had been sitting. "Idiot." She muttered as the table sat deserted. She had been counting on finding him there and banking on the idea that she 'owed' him a dance. As Kimbley began to make his way over she figured that at least sitting next to the guy was better than having to put up with his dancing.

Conversation was polite but she couldn't help but ponder why he was interested in her. Trying to avoid talking much she began to down the drink he had placed in front of her. She wasn't in the mood to have a heart to heart.

"You know, I am still rather hurt that you never had lunch with me." He leaned across the table, his weight shifting forward. His hands ghosted over hers as he smiled widely. "But I'm sure you can find a way to make it up to me."

Winry shivered slightly under his stare, the sudden chill a little unnerving. It pissed her off that Ed wasn't there to deflect this unwanted attention. When she found Edward she was going to beat him to a pulp with her wrench. It was a fairy tale ball for heaven's sake, where the hell was her prince charming?

"Hmm." She answered, without really answering. Funny, her drink tasted just like the fruit punch she had had earlier but she was feeling kind of sleepy. "Did someone spike the punch?" She wondered out loud, laughing at the idea.

Kimbley sipped his before shaking his head, "Doesn't taste like it." He took her glass and sniffed it. "Doesn't smell like it either. Why, does yours taste funny?"

Maybe the week really had tired her out more than she thought.

"Want to go grab some fresh air?" He offered sweetly.

Winry cast a look around the ballroom wondering where Ed was. Sighing she rubbed her temples, "I guess so."

**(Olivia POV)**

Olivia stared at her reflection in the mirror, disliking the look of defeat in her eyes. It took a hell of a lot to beat her, but she had done a good job of it all on her own. Somehow things had taken a turn for the worse and now she had lost her teammate, boyfriend but most importantly, her best friend. The only remedy she could find was to completely submerge herself in work.

Forcing herself to return to the dance she walked about the room making sure refreshments had been replenished and the ballads for fairy tale king and queen were being taken correctly. In another attempt to help raise money the boys from Alpha Mu had decided to open up the idea of being a King and Queen for the night. In order to vote for someone you had to pay only $1 but with over 800 guests, unlimited number of votes and the funds from the BTA date auction, they were well above their fundraising goal.

Olivia noticed Winry sitting next to Edward, looking towards the dance floor expectantly. Christ, that boy was too oblivious sometimes. Rarely did she ask for help, but like hell she was going to let her little sister sit in misery.

"Alex!" She barked at her brother.

"Yes dear sister?" he brightened at her attention.

"I need a favor."

**(Kimbley POV)**

Holding his palm to the middle of her back he guided her around the ballroom, his senses flooding with stimulation at the sight of so many innocent people. Did they realize how close they were to the man responsible for Tyrone's death? Perhaps attending this was a form of repentance, a way of showing he would help contribute to a charity in honor of Tyrones death or maybe he was just there because as IFC president he had to be. Ironic that only in fairytales does a wolf hide in sheep's clothing.

Kimbley aided the beautiful girl through the crowd and away from the building itself. The small park in front of the student center allowed them a short walk before they came across a bench. He guided her down slowly before taking a seat beside her. The drug must be taking its affect by now, he had done this before. But the fact that she was still able to walk excited him, she was a lot stronger than most girls. Winry Rockbell was a radiant gift in the light, even as her cheeks began to pale.

"I've got something special planned for you." He spoke softly as he traced his fingers from her cheek down her neck.

Her head rolled back as he watched her strain to keep her bearings. "What's happening?" She mumbled against his shoulder as her body began to slump. "Edward…"

It was hard to tell if she thought he was Edward or if she was merely calling for him. He continued as if he had never heard her. "You're a hardworking girl, a committed and dedicated girl in a man's' field. I can appreciate someone like you." He brought her face up to his and stole the kiss from her mouth, savoring the absurdly weak attempts on her part to push him away.

"Ah!" he jolted backwards as her teeth sunk into his lip. Clutching her head in his hands he held her in place as he began to grin at the blood now smeared on her lips. "Not afraid to get a little dirty are we?"

When her eyes began to drift shut he pulled her close to him, bending slightly to whisper in her ear. "You can't be afraid to get your hands dirty if you want to succeed in this life."

He needed someone to confide in, someone he could trust. She would become this for hm.

**(Rose POV)**

Rose rubbed Kain's back soothingly as they stood out on the balcony for some air. Looking over the railing she exhaled loudly. "You could have just told me you had a cold, really, I wouldn't have made you come with me tonight."

Another series of vicious coughs racked through the man's body before he could answer her. "Events like this aren't everyday…who knows when I'll ever be able to take you to a dance again?"

"You're more of a drama queen than I am!" She laughed, "Listen, how about we go home and I'll make you some soup."

His shoulders went rigid. "No."

Feeling irritated she put her hands on her hips. "What do you mean no? You're sick and waiting around here isn't going to make you feel any better let's just-"She cut herself off at the excruciatingly painful look on his face. "Kain?" Something was definitely wrong, his body was shaking.

His hands griped at the railing. "I don't have much time; I'm not going to waste it."

"What are you talking about?"

The man looked years beyond his age as he slouched forward, "I'm dying Rose."

"I'll call 911!" She shrieked searching in her clutch for her phone.

His hand jolted out to stop her. "I'm not dying right now." He choked out through another series of coughs.

More confused than ever she glared at him. "Don't joke about something like that." She spoke hollowly, the carefree atmosphere of the ball wilting in her mind. God, were there tears in his eyes?

"I've been sick for a long time, but there is no cure, I am going to die."

The scales of the world which had briefly tipped back in her favor now seemed to crash to the floor. "Why didn't you tell me before? How could you have waited until now?"

His voice sounded strained. "I didn't lie to you."

"Yeah well you sure as hell didn't tell the truth." She replied back with an anger that only served to mask the fear growing in her heart.

"Yeah?" He replied, his own temper rising against hers. "I was fine before you came along. I was ready to die and then you come along and ruin everything! I could have left with no regrets and now every time I see your face I see everything I'll never have! I see a future that can't be mine and I wish this was a fairy tale."

Rose felt the breath rush out of her as they stared at one another. If she hadn't run into his embrace she might have noticed her roommate down below being led out into the darkness of the night.

**(Gracia POV)**

It had been a terrible idea for them to go as Peter Pan and Wendy. Gracia couldn't stop staring at her fiancé whose tights and rather form fitting outfit made it far too easy to imagine what was underneath. It wasn't just her either; he seemed to soak up the idea of her wearing a nightgown. They were acting like newlyweds and they weren't even married yet!

Thank goodness for Olivia and her rather clever plan. It had been relatively easy to coerce her sisters while Maes convinced his brothers into voting for two specific people. With both Alex and Olivia's vast wealth at their disposal the fundraising goal had long since been passed and there was no doubt who had won king and queen. Happy to be able to make herself useful instead of ogling Maes, she stepped up to the mike with the results in her hands.

The crowd quieted upon hearing her tap the mike in checking. Feeling elated she held up the envelope, "The results are in!"

The massive amount of guests cheered her on, a few of them exchanging knowing looks as they tried to figure out who had won.

"The fairy tale ball King is…" She opened the envelope trying to force her face into surprise. "Edward Elric of Beta Tau Alpha!"

The crowd looked around as several BTA brothers pushed and coaxed Ed up onto to the stage. She almost felt sorry for him as he blushed several shades of red, looking extremely shocked. He might be a little embarrassed now, but she knew he would be grateful soon enough. "And the Fairy tale Queen is…Winry Rockbell from Kappa Delta!"

It was cute the way Ed perked up at her name, suddenly grinning like a man who had won the lottery.

Gracia looked around the room, but there was no sign of her sister. Frowning she tried again, "Winry, come on up here. There's no need to be shy."

The crowd began to murmur as they searched the room. Gracia covered the mike turning her glare on Edward, "Where is she?"

Ed paled, "She was just dancing a few seconds ago."

Olivia narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "Wasn't she _your_ date Edward?"

Rebecca joined them a few seconds later, "She's not in the bathroom or in the hallway. I don't think she's here."

Gracia fumbled with the mike for a few more minutes trying to delay but there was no sign of the girl. Trying to convince herself that Winry must have just gone home she tried to pretend like everything was ok. "Looks like our Cinderella had to leave, if someone finds her shoe will you please return it." She added humorously to the delight of the audience before stepping offstage.

Ed was off the stage in seconds, furiously scanning the room. "That fucking bastard!"

Gracia watched as Olivia grabbed his shoulders roughly, "Who was with her?"

The dressed up prince charming swore as he threw the crown off his head. "Zolf Kimbley."

**(Winry POV)**

Something had gone wrong; this was not where she was supposed to be. Winry had been drunk before, but this wasn't a hangover and she knew she never had a drink. Her body began to shake as she felt the bindings on her wrists and ankles. Trying not to panic she squirmed in the chair, her skin rubbing raw as she fought her restraints. "Hello?" She asked timidly, her fear getting the better of her.

Her breath came in out in short gasps as she looked searchingly around the empty basement like room. "Is anyone out there?" She screamed, her mouth parched.

The once sky blue dress looked like it had been dragged through hell and back. Her heart pounded so loudly in her ears that she almost missed the sound of footsteps approaching through the dark. Things clicked into place when she stared into his blank expression.

"Shh." He ripped a piece of duct tape and slapped it to her mouth before she could protest. "Can't have you spilling my secrets right?"

Her tears began to fall in earnest as he stroked her hair.

"Don't you worry your pretty little head." He kissed the duct tape covering her lips, "I never meant to kill him, it was only an accident. It was only an accident...only an accident...only an accident."

Winry watched on in horror as he continued to repeat the phrase like a mantra. A mantra of a crazed man, the mantra of a killer.

* * *

**Next Chapter: Just Breathe**

Everyone has their secrets and she was about to become his.


	16. Just Breathe

**A/N:** Like a Thanksgiving turkey, this thing is stuffed. Sorry for the delay but I am still not altogether pleased with how long this turned out. Forgive my fillers and added characters.

**Chapter 16: Just Breathe**

**(Kimbley POV)**

The sleeping girl next to him groaned slightly as she changed positions, her head snuggling against him. He watched her with growing amusement. For having put such little thought into this plan, it was in fact going exceedingly well. Her ousted position in Alpha Zeta as well as her pride would keep her right where he wanted her. She was a very intricate part of all this and to think it had all been by accident.

Noa moaned again, her eyes flickering open long enough to focus on him. The small curl of her lips and the shift in her position as she dragged a finger lazily along his chest sealed the deal. An act of mutual benefits and now they were both satisfied. It was safe to assume she had been far too out of it the night before to realize just what was happening around her. He had taken special to care to ensure that this night went off without a hitch. Having been seen in public with Winry linked him to her case, but Noa was the exception, she was the catalyst that would keep him free to finish what he had started.

He halted her hand, bringing her fingers up to his mouth as he rested his lips against each one. She shivered and cuddled closer, her chest rising and falling faster than before. How simple it was to pretend affection to such a lonely girl. Afraid of having to actually have a conversation he rolled on top of her and began where they had left off the night before. Her ecstasy hit its peak before him, but he wasn't surprised, it took a different kind of feeling to propel him to the top. She cried out his name loud enough that one of his brothers in the room next to his pounded against the wall in retaliation, an indignant rant still discernable through the divide of wood and plaster of a wall. He didn't call out her name as he came at last; there was no need to go that far into this charade.

"That…was amazing." She deflated against him, her chin resting on his chest as their breathing returned to normal.

He would count on Noa's vanity to prevail and boast him into a comfortable position of safety. It wouldn't take much to persuade her that they had met up in the garden and Winry had foolishly followed him thinking he had feelings for her. It would be all too easy to watch Noa agree with him that Winry had stormed off and left them to their own devices.

He thought about Winry sitting there in that dark basement. It should have bothered him to watch the beautiful blond reduced to such a feeble girl, but he still needed her, needed her in ways he knew no one else would understand. With Winry he could be himself, he could show her what he was truly capable of. Like sliding the pieces of a jigsaw into place he knew the picture was perfect.

A knock came on his door, "Hey Kimbley, you better come down here man."

"This better be important." Noa whined as he rolled out of bed leaving her behind. He couldn't help but think that this was the role she was meant to play.

"Don't go anywhere." He ordered her, though he knew she would obey without hesitation.

She propped herself up on her elbow staring lustfully at him as he grabbed his clothes. "Oh believe me, I won't."

He made sure to leave the door open wide enough that his fraternity brother Envy could see. The man raised his eyebrows, "What in the hell did you do last night?" He lowered his voice, "The police are at the front door waiting for you." He glanced back at Zolf's open door, licking his lips. "Want me to keep her company while you're gone?"

Kimbley could only muster up a crocked grin in response, he would love nothing more than for his brother to take that one off his hands, but he needed her for now. Following his brother down the steps he watched as the two officers standing there perked up at the sight of him, their eyes full of questions he would be only too happy to answer.

"Zolf Kimbley?" The taller of the two asked him.

"Correct."

The second one addressed him slowly as if waiting for him to retaliate. "My name is Officer Taylor and this is Officer Kent. We're going to need you to come down to the station for questioning."

"What's this all about?" He asked innocently.

"Either you come willingly or in hand cuffs, either way we need to talk to you."

Kimbley nodded in compliance, "Of course." Turning over his shoulder he looked back at Envy who was shamelessly eavesdropping. "Mind telling Noa to wait a little bit longer for me?"

Envy lifted his brow, "Whatever you say."

He smiled back at the officers; he was looking forward to reaping the benefits of his little plan. "Let's make this quick, don't want to keep my girl waiting." Of course he failed to mention that it wasn't Noa he was referring to.

Once at the police station he sat comfortably in the old metal chair, his composure only slightly marred by his distaste for the establishment.

"Listen I was trying to be nice and offer her a dance. Then she went and followed Noa and I out to the park. Once we got her to bug off we went back my fraternity house." He leaned back in his chair and smirked. "If you want to know what I spent the rest of my night and this morning doing you should call her up. Or better yet why not drop me off at my place and I'll go grab her out of my room so you can talk to her yourself."

"Watch it kid." The larger and more intimidating Officer Kent warned him. "This is serious business; we have a young girl missing."

Kimbley raised his brow, "Then why are you wasting time interrogating me?"

Before the first Officer could react the second intervened. "Let's get that girl in here; you said her name was Noa?" Officer Taylor questioned, his position a little more relaxed than that of his partner.

Oh yes, by the time they were done with Noa he would have had ample time to place certain items where they needed to go. Details were crucial and the execution of them was undeniable. It was only a matter of time before their predatory eyes left his and found a new target.

**(Ed POV)**

Forty-nine hours and three minutes since he had first walked into the police station and demanded that they look for Winry. Forty-nine hours and three minutes since Winry Rockbell had gone missing. His hair felt greasy and his eyelids heavy with sleep as he listened intently on the conversation happening just around the corner. Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on his knees dropping his head into his hands. The pea green walls of the police station made his stomach feel even queasier than it had before he arrived. He was feeling anxious and jittery, that fourth cup of coffee only exaggerating it. Not to mention what that was doing to his stomach, which hadn't been filled with food in quite some time. Trying to eat anything with this terrible guilt weighing on him was impossible. His own health was not on the top of his priorities, but he knew he had to stay awake so he drained yet another glass of black coffee courtesy of the police station.

"No, she wouldn't do that." Rose answered through her hiccups as she calmed down from crying.

The detectives tone didn't change. "She was last seen in the company of Zolf Kimbley, were you aware of any relationship between them?"

There was a long silence in which Ed felt himself holding his breath.

"No." She sniffled again. "Winry would never go home with a guy she barely knew. Even if she was that type of girl, that's not the guy she would have gone with. Anyone will tell you she had it bad for Edward Elric. The same guy who has been sitting here in this police station telling you for two days that something is wrong!"

The man cleared his throat, "Department policy ma'am, we must wait at least 48 hours before filing out a missing person's case."

Ed lifted his head out of his hands, whatever else they were saying had fallen on deaf ears. She had it bad for him? He thought of Winry's face as she promised him a dance, a dance she never came back for. If he had just danced with her, if he had stuck by her side, would it have changed things?

"Mr. Elric, we're ready for you."

Ed turned his head towards the officer who was already heading back to his desk. The younger looking officer put his hand out, gesturing towards the chair opposite his. "Edward Elric?"

They had been over his story a million times, but to hell if they were doing anything about it. "Yes." He replied darkly.

"It says here that Winry was your date for the evening?"

Yup, the same repetitive bullshit that was getting them nowhere. Ed nodded his head once.

"And you say that a Zolf Kimbley asked her to dance and that was the last you saw of her?"

Just the name of the bastard sent him reeling. "Yes." He replied sharply.

The officer raised his brow, his pen pausing on the pad of paper in front of him. "Are you aware of any relationship between Miss Rockbell and Zolf Kimbley?"

It irked him the way the officer stared him down as if he were the bad guy. "Don't you have security footage showing who left out of that building? There is no way you could have missed that pretentious bastard in a white tux!"

Ed didn't care that the cop looked incredibly annoyed or that his mouth turned down in a resentful grimace. Until Winry was safe he didn't care what they thought, he was going to do whatever it took to get her back. And while sitting there had been the textbook answer of the right thing to do, he certainly didn't feel that way.

"If you have any further information that will actually _help_ with our case I am all ears, if not then I believe we are done here." The officer admitted, his patience clearly run out.

The warning look in the man's eyes halted Ed from fighting back, even though he would like nothing more than to pummel the guy. Before he could even mouth back all eyes trained to the commotion at the front of the station. Two officers were hauling in a man who was struggling wildly against their restraining arms. The declaration of the man echoed riotously around the place as he searched for someone who might actually be listening to him.

"I'm telling you, you've got the wrong man!" He pleaded, his voice cracking in clear despair.

Something about this man drew him in, something familiar he couldn't quite put his finger on. There was the shaggy hair, the tattooed arms and hands that looked like they had more grease caked under the nails than one might find in an old rag at a mechanics shop. That's when it hit him. "Sam?" He wondered aloud. It was no longer a question as he drew closer; there could be no doubt that this was Winry's coworker from Tony's garage.

Sam turned towards the familiar face, his expression haunted. "Someone's framed me! I would never hurt Rocky, never!" He turned back over his shoulder staring Ed down. "You've got to believe me! Whoever took her still might have her, you have to keep looking!"

The blood pulsed loudly at his temples as he watched them drag him away, his resistance only adding fuel to their fire. Sam and the owner of the shop were the only people Ed knew that called Winry 'Rocky'. It wasn't that he had known Sam all that well, he just knew him well enough to know that he would never harm her. It frustrated him to know that the police were settling on this innocent man rather than focusing on the real problem at hand.

No matter, he was still juiced up from the coffee and finding Winry was his main objective. She had become his best friend and while he was beginning to feel something else it only stiffened his resolve.

**(Sam POV)**

Sam hung his head miserably as he sat in the small interrogation room. From what he gathered his explanation was being ignored; it appeared they had already made their own judgment call. A part of him, whether born from lack of sleep or fear, reminded him that until they found a body he was safe from the crimes they were accusing him of. He swallowed hard, how could anyone harm that little lady?

The balding gentlemen slid the bag across the table so that it drew his attention. Inside was a delicate looking shoe, its exterior stained with red. "Mind telling me how a bloody shoe like this turned up in your car?"

When the officer continued to stare him down he held his hand up over his mouth, trying to push away the disturbing image in his head. "Tell me it's not hers." He asked in horror.

"Why don't you tell me." The officer announced in a cool offhand way.

"Jesus…" He was fed up with trying to defend himself, especially when he was being treated like a murderer. "I loved that girl like she was my own little sister, I would never hurt her."

The poised man pulled out another evidence bag and placed it right next to the one containing the shoe. "So a shoe with her blood on it and this University ID depicting one Winry Rockbell has nothing to do with you?"

The handcuff metal cut into his wrist but he didn't notice the pain. "Like I said, I was at the shop the whole night. Tony lets me sleep in the office if I need to get a rush order job done."

The man drummed his fingers lazily against the table. "And you were the only one there?"

"Yes." He admitted feeling frazzled. Sam was finding it hard to think coherently when he looked at the poor girl's shoe. He had grown up in the slums of Central; he didn't want to think of what might have happened to the sweet country girl. "Winry's been busy with sorority stuff so I've had to pick up some of her work lately."

"How convenient."

Sam failed to see any kind of logic in the man's argument. "Convenient? How the hell is any of this convenient?"

"A nice girl starts working alongside you, but a pretty girl like her wants nothing to do with someone like you. So you wait until a night when no one else is working to lure her back to the shop, only she didn't cooperate…things got messy."

"Shut up!" Sam snarled out, his hands shaking in anger.

"Oh?" The officer raised his brow, "Says here you have quite the backstory, seems your little sister died by the hands of your father? I have it here that you were the one who fought him off of her, but it was too late. My, she looks an awful lot like our young Miss Rockbell. Like father like son huh?"

He was a reasonable guy, troubled past, but he had fought his way back to being human again. But the picture of his little sister stirred up emotions he hadn't felt in years. A fierce and loathsome man took over him as he leapt across the table and pounded the man to the floor. He was vaguely aware of the man's startled yelp or the Taser to his side. All he knew was that he was being dragged away, dragged away for a crime he never committed. He had already paid for his mistakes and now he was about to pay for someone else's.

**(Winry POV)**

The sound of the florescent light blinking brought her back to consciousness as she struggled to blink the sleep from her eyes. Nothing had changed, nothing except for the extreme pain radiating from her stiff body and the undeniable hunger that drained her senses. How many days had it been? Two, three, four? Who could tell with the flickering fluorescent light as the only thing keeping her company?

Lifting her head up she tried to envision her escape, the tug of her muscles ripping through the rope, the force of her legs as she ran out of the room and up the stairs. She would shove through the door, knocking it down with sheer will power. An insurgence of anger powered through her as she screamed against the duct tape, her limbs fighting and grinding against their restraints. It didn't take long for her exhaustion to cut through her weak resistance. She had been excited to come to Central to see the city lights and study at a real University; she never imagined she would find herself in such a mess.

She was reminded of something her grandmother had once told her as a little girl. 'Your parents will always live; they live because you are here to carry on their memory'. Maybe her grandmother had said it because she truly believed it or maybe she just wanted her to stop crying. Whatever the reason, it had sparked in her a drive to succeed and a strong will to live. She promised herself after what happened then that she would fight like hell to make it in this world, she would make her parents proud. And yet here she was, like a fish caught in a net, struggling to just stay alive.

It all came back to the man who had brought her here, the man who until the dance she had thought harmless. She might have found herself in quit the predicament but it wasn't because she was dumb. It was obvious now who had killed Tyrone and he never needed to admit a thing. Her chest began to rise and fall rapidly as panic built up once again. The unsettling in her chest pounded nervously over the idea of what had actually happened the night Tyrone had died. She knew that she was a fighter, but it was hard to fight when she had nothing left to give. Even if he didn't physically kill her, she couldn't imagine how much longer her body would last without food or water.

The sound of the door opening at the far end of the room filled her with dread. A voice trickled through the silence, against the white noise around her. "Winry." It cooed gently as if to coax an animal from its hiding. Kimbley walked up to her and held out a glass of water to her. He crouched down in front of her, holding the glass tauntingly in front of her. "If I pull off the tape for you to drink this, are you going to behave?"

What a proposition, as if she could even begin to refuse something like that. Somehow she doubted he would listen to what she actually wanted, but she was too tired to attempt at fighting him. Nodding her head slowly she had only a second of time before he ripped the strip off her mouth. A low whimper escaped her as she clutched her fists tightly through the pain.

When he poured the water down her throat she nearly gagged at the sensation, her body struggling against it. Coughing hard, she leaned forward for more but knew with a heavy heart that he was only going to give her enough to keep her alive. "Why are you doing this?" She whispered in a rasped voice.

He set the glass down on the ground, reaching up to stroke her cheek with the back of his hand. "This is the only way I can be happy."

She felt disgusting and dirty at his touch as she sat brokenly in the chair she was tied to. Her hair hung limply around her, the curls long gone and her makeup ruined from the tears. "How does this make you happy?" She asked in true wonder.

Kimbley gripped the top of her thighs as he moved closer, his face hovering in front of hers. "I killed a man Winry. You are the only one I can share that with; you are the only one I can trust."

If she wasn't horrified by the idea that he was admittedly a murderer she would have scoffed at that. "If you trusted me, you wouldn't have me tied up and hidden down here." She combated with confidence.

He seemed amused by that. "I have admired this spirit of yours ever since I laid eyes on you Winry Rockbell. You are just like your parents."

"Don't talk about my parents." She shot back with true hatred in her voice.

Zolf cocked his head to the side as if analyzing her from a different angle. "That's right; you didn't know them very well did you? Shame, I suppose it would be hard for you to remember what they were like. My father told me about what that man did to them."

"Huh?" Chills racked up and down her spine as she watched the truth in his eyes. "What man?"

"Oh?" He looked mildly surprised. "That Ishvalan man killed them in cold bold, still on the run too."

"You're lying." Winry forced herself to keep her cool. "They were killed in the crossfire."

His grip on her thighs held tighter. "Sweet, sweet Winry, is that what the military told you? You should know by now things aren't always what they seem."

Betrayed, hurt, devastated, scared, how could she be feeling so many different things all at once? "They are going to find you and when they do you won't ever see the light of day." She croaked out in revulsion.

He laughed at that, a derisive and manic sort of hysteric that drew her back as far as she could against the back of the chair. "The police already know who did this to you. Sam sure does fit the bill of a killer. Really Winry it was almost too easy to frame him. Sort of takes the fun out of all this."

"Sam?" She had been so selfish to think that she was in this alone. How many other people had he done this to? Would there be others like her, others like Tyrone?

"Yes Sam is currently in jail, can you believe he attacked an officer? Boy has all the motive in the world for this case I just needed to speed things along with some evidence."

It was eerie how calmly he spoke about all of it. She struggled against her restraints again, reminded that there were people counting on her.

"Oh…" He grinned wickedly at her. "I like it when you fight like this." His hands moved down her leg, sliding under her dress.

Closing her eyes she could feel the hot tears roll down her face. "Don't touch me." She almost pleaded as she kept her eyes closed, least she see the joy on his face. It was painful and the shame washed over her like a tidal wave crashing against the shore. And when it finally pulled away she knew it had taken a part of her back out to sea, a part of her she couldn't get back.

"So tense." He sat back on his heels, "You need to learn how to be more open."

Everything had its cost, but she couldn't understand what she had done to deserve this. The tears fell harder as she sucked in a shuddering breath. "Please…don't."

"Are you going to stop me?" He asked in a bored tone.

"You're a disgusting pig!" Winry felt vengeful as she spit into his face. She inhaled sharply as he lunged forward and grasped both hands around her neck.

He rattled her back and forth as he strangled her. "You want to die? Huh?"

Going dizzy she could feel the lightness in her head growing.

His hands dropped from her neck as she was left gasping for breath. "Hmm." He looked her up and down before grinning wide. "I figured as much."

Winry hung her head helplessly against the torrent of fear that flooded her. How much could she really take?

When he was finally gone she relaxed back into the darkness, trying to keep her mind blank. It angered her that she seemed to have lost the will to fight back, but just fighting to stay alive seemed like the bigger challenge. With her head lolling to the side she looked down at the floor, her eyes widening. Like someone had turned on a switch she sat up straighter, the ropes no longer a concern. Feeling defiant and optimistic for the first time she began to rock in her chair. It took a while to build up momentum but eventually she tipped over and smashed the glass cup right under her.

Lying against the floor she strained to hear any kind of noise, any indication that she had been heard. The crash had been loud, though she could imagine that anything would sound incredibly loud after so much silence. When nothing changed she shifted in the chair, using her fingertips to grasp onto a piece of broken glass. She bit her lip to keep from calling out as she sifted through shards of glass which cut at her feeble fingers as the ropes rubbed against her raw skin.

She managed to pick up one of the bigger pieces, quickly beginning to work away at the fraying fibers of the rope. But with each move she could feel her tired muscles protest; she could only hope her stamina pulled through long enough to see the light of day.

**(Olivia POV)**

Olivia slid her arms into the tightly fitted leather jacket, pulling her helmet off her desk as she walked out the back door of the house. There was a rage, a familiar surge of emotion that kept her calm amongst the panic. The motorcycle parked out back reflected the dark clouds that hovered above, ready to rain at any second.

"Olivia!"

Slamming the helmet on her head she straddled the bike and put the keys in the ignition.

"Stop!" Gracia begged her, the emotion in her voice wavering on hysterics.

Stop? Stop what? Stop going after the bastard who had her little sister? Stop her from pounding his skull into the ground until he was forced to tell her what he had done to Winry? "I can't stop now." She replied absently.

About to take off she was stopped again by a truck pulling up the driveway, effectively cutting off her path. The man that jumped out of the driver's seat didn't look too happy with her and she could guess why.

"Olivia? What the hell are you doing?" Miles asked as he strode towards her.

Feeling cornered and betrayed she glared at Gracia as she climbed back off the bike. "You called him?"

Gracia wiped her eyes, "I had to." She begged, "We don't even know who has her or what they are capable of! Why can't you just let the police handle this?"

"Because she's my little sister! Do I need any other reason? It's already been three days, if we don't find her now we might as well dig her grave ourselves!" She could hear the slight bend in her voice.

Gracia gasped before clapping her hand to her mouth as another wave of sobs escaped her. It was killing her to hold it together while her sister bawled at the idea that Winry might already be dead. Seeing pain only made Olivia's resolve harden, "Move your truck." She asked Miles stiffly.

Miles crossed his arms, holding his stance. "No."

She was only mildly aware that Gracia had shrunk back into the house, her face cascading with tears. "What are you even doing here Miles?" She asked unafraid of the venomous way it came out. He had left her and that was all there was to it.

He put one foot in front of the other, one step closer to her. "Four years, four years with you. What makes you think I could just give it up, even if I wanted to?"

She wasn't a crier; she would fight until the feeling went away. "_You_ gave up on us Miles."

Olivia had seen Miles frustrated, disappointed, but this defeated man was so far off her radar she was stunned into silence.

"You gave up on us Liv; you're the one who stopped trying. I just stopped fighting for something you didn't want anymore." He answered as if each word were cutting into his skin.

She was someone who took charge, did things her way, so maybe this really was her fault. The painfully true words ripped her open, pulling at the fragile ties that had held her together. "Is this the part where you walk away? Because sooner or later everyone does, so I'd rather you did it now while I can still watch you do it."

"No." He crossed the distance between them holding onto her arms. "This is where I stop you from doing something reckless and stupid. This…" He paused for a moment. "… Is where I remind you that this is dangerous and stupid. Don't do this Liv; there are other ways to help her."

Her lower lip trembled with the force of holding it back. "I can't give up on her." Olivia chocked out when she could no longer witness the compassion in his eyes without breaking.

When he wrapped his arms around her she sank thankfully into his warm embrace. "You are from one of the most powerful families in Amestris you can't tell me that running off to confront Kimbley is the best you can think of?"

**(Maes POV)**

Hughes rubbed his hands together, blowing hot air into the cup he had made with his icy palms. The temperature was dropping as the fall weather began to ebb away. He had been crouching behind a rather large and distractingly hideous bush for the past half hour. But what he had just spotted had sent him into investigative mode.

It was on the older part of campus and thus was easily forgotten, but not today. The old dorm building had been condemned in the late eighties and if he was correct in his University history, it was only standing due to budget cuts which had prevented it from being torn down.

"What are you doing in there?" He wondered out loud.

After a late IFC meeting he had gone against his better judgment and followed Kimbley. Of course there had been accusations that he had something to do with Winry's disappearance but most of those rumors had died when Sam Walton was brought into custody. The guy sure looked like trouble, but Maes wasn't so confident he had any real motive in this case. From Olivia's sources they had found clues that hinted towards his connection to her disappearance but no firm evidence…no Winry. But there was something about Zolf that Maes didn't trust, a certain overbearing trait that rubbed him the wrong way. He just couldn't believe that this guy had walked away with Winry that night and had ended up with Noa. Hughes wouldn't pretend he knew the guy very well, but he knew him well enough to know that girls like Noa didn't appeal to him. So why now?

He sucked in a breath when at long last Zolf emerged from the building. What had he been doing in a place like that? It was exhilarating to suddenly feel like he had stumbled upon a stray thread, one that could very well unravel this mystery.

In his rush to check out the place he didn't realize that his parked car was clearly visible in the empty lot or that someone might recognize that it was his. For a rather sensible man calling the police never crossed his mind. He was too busy jumping the fence and maneuvering his way through the weeds and crumbled concrete to actually think things through properly.

It was already pretty late; his watch reminded him with a quick beep as the hand struck the 12. It occurred to him that he might have been waiting for Kimbley to come out for longer than an hour. There was definitely something in here and he was going to place a bet that it had something to do with Winry. The inside of the dormitory made his stomach roll, the place looked like hell. Ceiling tiles were either covered in mold or broken on the ground while the halls that stretched out from the main entrance were shrouded in darkness. The stairwell to upper levels was physically blocked off by bricks so it left his search to east and west halls. The doors must have been removed, though to what effect he wasn't sure but it did make looking through the place go a lot quicker. His small flashlight attached to his keychain offered little in regards to lighting the place but it was better than nothing.

After checking through the empty dorm rooms he felt his original enthusiasm start to ebb away as he came up empty handed. There was nothing suspicious; nothing out of the ordinary, in fact there was practically nothing in there to begin with. About to call it quits he froze as the sound of a faint cry reached his ears. Looking around he held his breath, the place was beginning to look a lot creepier the longer he was there. He paused waiting for a sign that he was hearing things. When the silence prevailed he could have kicked himself, it was late, cold and he was trespassing. Calling it quits he was almost back to the front door when he noticed a door off to the side, a door he hadn't checked. Curiosity getting the better of him he entered the door into a stairwell leading down.

"Hello?" He called out cautiously. "Is anyone down here?"

His pulse sped up as he descended down into the dusty basement. Dust particles hovered in the air as his flashlight illuminated the darker corners of the space. There were old janitorial supplies still leaning against one of the walls along with a mural of the Universities Lion mascot. Sidestepping some of the junk he noticed a trail of footprints expanding from the pile. Shining his light from that point the beam of light wrapped around a closed door. One step turned into three and four, his hand shaking slightly as he grabbed for the door handle and carefully pushed it open. It was too late to back out now, especially when he had already invested so much thought into it.

Thinking too far into things was a hard habit to break. Gracia would be upset that he hadn't called her after the meeting, but his attention was so thoroughly fixated on what Zolf was hiding that it had consumed him as soon as he had chosen to follow the guy.

It was obvious someone had been in here recently, no doubt Kimbley himself. The light in the room flickered off before he could really look around his own dim light from the key ring flashlight was hardly helpful. It took a second but his eyes adjusted once again to the darkness; he knew something was on the floor long before he was close enough to shine light onto it. The fluorescent light made a couple cracking noises before it lit up the space once again.

His eyes bulged in horror as he followed the trail of blood up to the flipped chair and the girl it imprisoned. Things like this didn't happen to real people, he could read about them in a newspaper or watch it on TV but it had never felt real. It was suddenly very hard to breathe. "Winry?" He managed to gasp as he recognized her amongst the damage. God what had been done to her?

Rushing forward he ignored her unresponsive form and focused instead on untying her. His hands shook so badly it took him several tries to even begin to work at the knots. When at last he was able to loosen them he gently coaxed her feet out and was about to work at her wrists when he noticed the bloodied shard of glass and the deep cut on her arm. Kneeling in her blood he ripped off a piece of her dress and tied it tightly around the wound before wrestling her wrists out of the loosened knots.

Cradling her in his lap he was almost afraid to check for a pulse, but her slowly rising chest renewed his hope. Putting his palm to her cheek he struggled against the nausea it induced to see the bags under her eyes and feel her thin frame in his arms. So many things began to fall into place, each of them leaving him more confused than the one before. Not only had Zolf taken Winry but he had framed another man, and then there was Tyrone…Jesus.

He should have felt relief at finding her alive, but this wounded and fragile girl was not the Winry he wanted to find. Pulling his phone out of his pocket he wasn't sure if it was shock that clouded his thoughts or old habit, but for whatever reason he wasn't calling 911, he was calling Roy. Just as the other line picked up he found himself jerking to look over his shoulder as the sound of footsteps echoed right up behind him.

Clutching onto Winry's limp body he barely heard Roy's voice as Kimbley pointed a gun at him.

Roy's voice sounded distant as Maes stared down the barrel of a killer. "Hello? Hughes, hello?"

"Tell Tyrone hello for me will you?" Zolf requested before pulling the trigger.

Hughes dropped the phone to the ground as a shooting pain went right through him, the shot ringing in his ears. He had never been the one to jump into things without thinking; he was a man of facts and figures, a man of reason. But he had been foolish and blind not to see this coming. As the room swam in front of his eyes he knew all the mistakes he had made had not only cost him, but had cost the girl. Gracia was going to hate him for not saving Winry and of course for not being able to save himself. "Forgive me." He asked in hopes that someone might actually hear him.

**(Roy POV)**

Roy walked out of the police station, Ed slumping after him. "Since you're my little brother I'll give it to you this time. You get one bail out of jail free card, but I sure as hell won't ever do it again. Got it?"

"I didn't do anything wrong." He protested grumpily.

If that wasn't a guilty statement, he didn't know what was. Turning on his brother he narrowed his eyes. "You were caught going through police files in the middle of the night, wasted too."

Ed was avoiding his gaze. "Yeah well you left me in there long enough that I'm sober now."

The kid let his emotions overrule any kind of common sense. Roy wasn't about to tell him he could relate. "You're lucky as hell that they took pity on you. Underage drinking and breaking into police files?" He had a sneaking suspicion that Havoc and Breda had something to do with the being drunk part but the files were undoubtedly an Ed move. His brothers came up with bad ideas to help each other out all the time. Drinking away their problems was usually their first attempt at solving a problem, though it did not yield positive results. He should know he had tried it many times.

"I had to do something…"

He stopped walking at that, taking a closer look at the kid. It wasn't that he hadn't seen him before, but maybe he just didn't want to see. Ed looked pretty rough; his slight stagger proved that he wasn't in fact as sober as he claimed. Roy nodded his head, agreeing whole heartedly. "I know kid; I want to find your girl just as much as you do."

"She's not my-"

Hell, this kid was still in denial? "Yeah well I'm going to do everything within my power to make sure she is. I'm definitely not ok with this drunk and depressed ass guy being my little brother. So what did you find out?"

Ed bristled at his response before sighing. "Nothing, the police are no closer to finding her than we are. That Sam guy is sticking with his story and I believe him."

They were both in his car before he heard the faint ringing noise of his phone going off. Glancing at the screen he could almost feel the tension rising. Hughes didn't call past midnight unless there was trouble. "What now?"

Using the touch screen he held the phone up to his ear but heard nothing but distant voices. Either Hughes needed to upgrade his service or he had just butt dialed him. "Hello? Hughes, hello?" He repeated feeling a little aggravated about having to play the role of concerned brother for the night.

"Wha-"

Roy punched Ed in the shoulder to shut him up so he could try to decipher what was being said. Before Ed could retaliate his reaction to the sounds over the phone must have shown on his face. The dial tone echoed in the now silent car as he pulled the phone away from his ear.

"Hughes…" Mustang redialed his number but it went straight to voicemail. Dropping the phone he spread his palm out against his forehead, his eyes wide.

"Stop it."

Roy turned his gaze to where Ed was shrinking away from him looking ill. "Stop it Mustang." Ed commented louder than before. "You look like someone just died…" He managed to choke out.

Ed was staring at him, looking for him to tell him differently, but how could he? How could he when he had definitely heard a gunshot.

"Mustang? Roy you're freaking me out…what happened?"

He steeled himself, not giving in to the temptation of fear. "We need to find Maes."

**(Gracia POV)**

Waiting patiently while the police continued to spin their wheels unsuccessfully over Winry's case was driving her crazy. Gracia eyed Olivia dosing nearby, obviously exhausted mentally and physically over this whole thing, though she was hardly the only one. The living room was filled with the soft ramblings of people on TV and the occasional shifting of the couch as one of her sisters turned over in their sleep. This was one of the things people would never understand about being in a sorority; it truly was a home away from home, a place of consolation and familiarity. No one had really spoken much about why they didn't want to be alone right now, but looking around at all of her sisters it was evident how much they needed and depended on one another.

Looking down at her phone she frowned in worry, Maes was supposed to at least text her when he got out his meeting. Sucking in a startled breath she stared at the time, was it really 1am? There was no way his meeting would have lasted this long. It was probably emotion stirred up by Tyrone's death and her sister's disappearance but she couldn't help it, the waterworks began again. Afraid she might wake up one of the girls with her stupid sniffling she grabbed the keys off the counter hoping a drive might settle her down.

It was clearly jacket weather with December right around the corner but she was too busy wiping away tears to even think about it. Shivering she got into her car and began to drive, where exactly she planned on going never really crossed her mind.

The techno jams that rocked her favorite radio station after midnight helped her stay awake as she drove around campus, trying her best to ignore the urge to drive up to the BTA house and confront Maes. She really didn't want to be this clingy and needy girl, but Maes never said he was going to do something without following through. It just didn't make any sense that he couldn't call her after the meeting, but then again maybe his phone died. Whatever the insignificant reason turned out to be she was sure it was nothing to fret over. Calmed down by the darkness of the night and chilled despite her cars heat, she finally turned back around to drive home.

There were things you noticed at night that didn't stick out during the day. Things like back doors to buildings stood out with their security lights, the cracks in signs, and the actual number of parking spots that students claimed during the day seemed to drag on forever. When she started to drive by the closed off part of campus she barely managed to make the turn in time to circle back around. There in a deserted parking lot was unmistakably her fiancés car.

Pulling up alongside the black Jeep she stared at the Greek letters Beta Tau Alpha on the back, there was no doubt whose car this was. Looking around she wondered why his car would be all the way out here. Outside was just as dead as it had appeared from inside her car. Instead of trying to call Maes phone for the hundredth time she decided that calling Roy was her next best option.

It barely had a chance to ring before Roy's voice practically shouted her name over the line. "Gracia!"

Well that was definitely an odd greeting from the guy; usually he was a little more laid back. "Hi Roy, I don't mean to call so late but is Maes at the house? I can't get a hold of him and his car is parked over on the Eastern side of campus."

There was a pause, long enough to make her brain whirl with worse case scenarios. Was it her panic or did Roy sound upset? "You mean he's not with you? Hell…"

Fighting off the alarm that sounded off in her head she composed herself well enough to think properly. "He never came back from his meeting did he?"

"You said you were on the eastern part of campus?"

"Yes, I-"

"Get back into your car and lock the doors Gracia. We'll be there in a few." Roy ordered sternly.

She had never heard Roy sound so…so scared? "Roy what's going on?"

"Just stay where you are." This time it wasn't an order, it was more like a plea.

When they arrived the first thing Gracia was sure of was that something bad had happened and secondly that Ed smelled like a brewery. She hoped the two were not connected for the kids' sake, though what all this had to do with Maes was still up in the air.

Roy rushed forward and gripped her arms tightly, his eyes searching her body in a way that made her suddenly very self-conscious.

"You're ok, right?"

She eyed them suspiciously. "Tell me what's going on right now you two."

"Call the cops Gracia." He turned towards Ed, "Stay with her until the cops get here."

"Where are you going?" Ed asked sounding annoyed.

Roy sent them both a warning look. "I'm going in, alone."

What a complete macho man thing to say. She was going to protest when he suddenly spoke in a terrible, haunting tone of sadness.

"I heard gunshots Gracia. I don't know if he's in there but I'm pretty sure it was Kimbley I heard over the phone. If more than one of us goes in there it could make it worse, I need to know that you are going to be safe out here. If I let anything happen to you Maes is going to kill me." He added without much humor. "Ed you need to talk to the police, tell them what we think is happening as soon as they get here."

Gracia slumped against her car, holding her hand over her mouth in horror. "Are you sure it was him Roy?"

Breathing out a deep and sorrow filled sigh Roy avoided her eyes. "That's what I'm going to find out."

Ed had been silent for too long, Gracia knew him better than that. When Roy had jumped the fence and walked from sight she turned to him. "You have a plan don't you."

He nodded curtly as he pulled out his phone. "I'm calling the cops then I'm following that selfish bastard."

Gracia knew she should be running right along with him, but she also knew she couldn't be a burden. Someone had to stay and talk to the police when they arrived and while she had always counted herself as a strong woman even she knew this wasn't the place to try it out. She watched Ed disappear just as Roy had and found that her hands were shaking. Tyrone, Winry, Maes; her mind listed those names off as if it meant something. She prayed with every fiber of her being that they weren't casualties of this terrifying mystery surrounding them.

**(Kimbley POV)**

It was adrenaline, a surge of power running through his veins as he held the gun in his hands. There was no hesitance when he pulled the trigger; no fear in this world that could hold him back. Maes, for all the man he was, didn't stand a chance. Kicking Maes out of his way he stooped to push the tangled blond hair out of Winry's face, admiring the marks on her wrists and ankles. Oh she had struggled hard, and that brilliant mind of hers was in rare form. He should have known better than to leave anything within her grasp, it was already too late for her. Now however, he was presented with the added nuisance of trying to explain Maes. Something about the look on Roy Mustangs face made it almost worth telling the truth.

In fact the look he had imagined on his face was exactly the one he was wearing right now. The one that widened his eyes in the kind of repulsion you expect out of a thriller and a mounting vengeance akin to hate. Standing up slowly he smiled in confusion. "What brings you here tonight Roy?" He pointed his gun at the man to stop him from running to his friend. Obviously he had yet to notice the girl he was standing in front of or else he might have done something rash. "I wouldn't move if I were you." He warned pleasantly as if talking to an old friend.

The muscles along Roy's jaw clenched as his eyes searched the area around them. "What have you done?"

How amusing, he brandished his gun threateningly. "Should you really be the one asking questions?" Mustang, to his credit, didn't falter but he also didn't make another move.

Maes chose that moment to moan, his body twitching slightly.

"Ah! Back from the dead are we Mr. Hughes?" He mocked cynically, "Good, now your friend can actually watch you die!"

Hughes coughed hard, "Winry…must help her."

At first he foolishly believed Maes was addressing him, but from the way Roy shifted in his stance he knew it had been directed at Mustang. From the looks of it he wanted to ask why she hadn't spoken or moved the entire time. But in the realm of unanswered questions he knew no one wanted to comment on a possibility that the sweet blond was no more.

He should have switched his major; psychology was far more entertaining than studying law. Just watching these two men's reactions when under the threat of death was invigorating. What if he pushed the right buttons, could he turn these men into sobbing little girls?

"It should be obvious, there is no helping her now, she's dead." He admitted, though he didn't like the idea that she had died on him already. It took the fun out of all this and it left him with the dilemma of finding a replacement.

**(Ed POV)**

There had been quite a few times he had been horrified in his life, finding his mother dead and seeing Al so ghostly pale, so close to death it seemed only seconds away. There were things that took his breath away, things like seeing his brother smile again and watching as Winry beamed triumphantly over a new piece of automail. Then there was a moment like this, a specific time when he was sure all the air had disappeared from his lungs and yet he felt heavy with the weight of it. Stumbling forward he knew what he had heard was true as the unwelcomed image planted itself into his field of vision.

She looked like a rag doll that had been overly abused, with the stitching pulled and the color suffocated and smothered. Her once pretty dress was dirtied and ripped, her sunshine locks dulled into the same quiet silence the rest of her body had fallen. It was a cruel torture to stand statue to this end, the feeling of a hand squeezing around his throat paralyzing him. There was such a short time in which he had grown attached to her and yet he knew that life before and after her would be worlds apart.

His arrival had not gone unnoticed, even if he refused to acknowledge anything other than the slowing of his heart as it hollowed out in pain. As the new attraction to the room he couldn't escape the eyes of the two men standing in the room but he couldn't pull his eyes away long enough to meet them.

A girl whose only dream had been to help those around her was now lying on the dingy floor of a basement in the middle of fucking nowhere. He had always thought it, but now he knew. There was no god.

Roy was shouting something at him but he didn't bother to listen because he was already charging at Kimbley. The gun fired but he didn't feel a thing. He pummeled the man into the ground, he might not be the biggest guy, but a metal punch was worth far more than a flesh. There was another gunshot followed by a searing pain in his shoulder, but it did nothing to stop him. It was only when he heard the sound of police entering that he finally gave up the fight, his fists bloodied and his strength drained.

"On your knees, hands behind your heads!"

Ed dropped to the ground on command noticing for the first time how much blood had pooled around them. A bullet had clearly lodged itself into his automail arm, but the second one sliced right through his shoulder. He wished Winry would sit up and scream at him for damaging her automail.

Someone shouted for a medic and that's when he lost it. The painstaking sobs ripped through his chest, a terrible noise like the cry of a wounded animal. Out of the corner of his eye he watched Zolf being handcuffed, his mouth spreading wide with a sadistic grin. Blood trickled down his chin, his teeth stained crimson as they dragged him away. "She cried like a little girl. Did you hear me Elric?" He hollered over his shoulder, "Dead, just like her parents."

It takes courage to stand up for what you believe in, to do something you're afraid of, to try something new, but this kind of courage was of a different consistency. It took all the courage he possessed to look over at where the paramedics were working, their bodies shielding Winry from his sight.

Panicked that they might not let him say goodbye he rushed over to them, fighting away the medic that still trailed along after him. She was still wearing her Cinderella dress but unlike her fairy tale predecessor, she was missing both of her shoes. He watched longingly as she lay on the ground, a peaceful expression settled onto her features as if she were asleep. In what felt like an eternity but was mere seconds he decided that he would lie down beside her and refuse to ever leave.

The paramedics visibly relaxed and he was quick to see why. Winry's eyes fluttered open as he gawked in astonishment. He should have known better than to believe Kimbley when he said that she was dead. He ignored the vexed and warning looks the medics shot him as he pushed to her side. "Winry." He spoke in relief.

"Ed?"

"I'm here." He held her cheek in the palm of his hand, the pain in his shoulder numbed by the touch of his skin to hers.

She nodded, the tears already budding in her eyes. "Stay with me."

"Always." He whispered.

**(Hohenheim POV)**

He had spent more time in this particular hospital than he imagined he had at home. Al shifted uncomfortably in the seat next to him, his eyes unfocused as he tapped his feet restlessly. Unable to stand it any longer he lowered his hand to his son's knee, holding it firm for a moment.

His youngest son finally stilled looking apologetic, "Sorry."

Hohenheim frowned, unsure of how to comfort his youngest son. "Edward will be alright."

Those eyes, Trisha's eyes stared back at him. "How do you know?"

Smiling he patted his son's knee before folding his hands together in his lap. "Your brother is quite the stubborn one."

"And the others?"

To this he wasn't entirely confident of an answer. "We will just have to hope for the best."

His son looked over to the other side of the waiting room where a dark haired man paced back and forth and a girl with short, sandy blonde hair sat. Their eyes looked off in different directions but their expressions remained the same. He realized with sympathy that the third victim, Maes Hughes a fraternity brother of his son, was still in surgery. They reminded him of just how close he had come, once again, to losing his son. Some things never changed and like himself, this time it seemed to be stuck on repeat. Once again Edward acted on impulse and once again he wasn't there to stop him.

No one would walk out of this unscarred, but he was struck with the possibility that some might not ever walk out of it at all.

Al had fallen asleep long before a doctor finally emerged. "Mr. Hohenheim?"

He pushed aside his nerves. "Yes?"

The doctor smiled, "You are welcome to check in on your son, everything went well."

Not about to wake his youngest, he made his way towards Edwards's room by himself. Just as he was about to walk in he paused in the doorway. There sitting on his sons bed was a girl in a hospital gown, her hand covering Edwards. Edward's face was expressionless and Hohenheim knew at once that he was sleeping peacefully, unaware of his visitor. He didn't mean to eavesdrop, but it seemed inevitable.

"You're such an idiot. Always messing up your automail...always putting yourself in danger but..." She scolded, but he could feel the deep emotion it attempted to hide. Then she leaned forward and kissed Ed's forehead.

Hohenheim felt himself turn red as he witnessed this rather raw show of emotion. She spoke softly but he heard her loud and clear.

"...I think I'm falling in love with you."

**(Noa POV)**

She was a lot of things, but co-conspirator to murder and an abduction? The interrogator continued to ask her questions but she just sat there unable to utilize even the simplest of functions. Her parents had hired a lawyer as soon as she called them from the police station but this man dressed in a snazzy suit and tie did little to comfort her. Obviously her silence wasn't quite the way they had planned it out but she didn't care.

The questions kept coming and eventually she drew tired of the banter. "You want to know what I was doing fucking a killer, don't you?"

That sure stunned them into a nice quiet. She thought about how she had planned walking around campus attached to Zolf's arm, and having all eyes turn her way. Her daydream had even gone as far as to witness her entire chapter begging for her return as she emerged triumphantly with the IFC president boasting her back into the only place she belonged. It was strange but the feeling felt so right that she knew what she was thinking was the absolute truth. The feeling of Zolf's hands on her body was still fresh in her mind, but now the image was screwed up with his hands on the throat of a person, chocking the life out them. How had she not known? Her head ached with the thought and her stomach rolled.

"I wish he would have killed me."

* * *

**Next Chapter: Pieces**

Central University is left reeling after murder and abduction trample their reputation. Can they begin to pick up where they left off or are some things changed for good?


	17. Pieces

**A/N: **I can't believe this thing has gotten so big! Since when did this story reach over 100,000 words? Thank you for still reading and all the reviews are very much appreciated :)

**Chapter 17: Pieces**

**(Gracia POV)**

It was an upgrade from the waiting room, but the sight of him attached to all those machines wasn't exactly comforting either. To finally lay her eyes on the damage made it real and that thought alone was scary enough. Gracia sat rigid in the ugly, brown upholstered chair, counting the number of times the monitor beeped next to her. The hand under hers twitched but he had yet to open his eyes. The nurse had told her it was perfectly normal for his body to move involuntarily. That seemed like a bit of a stretch, you could hardly call their situation normal.

In all their years together he always rushed to do what she asked and when he didn't respond she felt disappointed, like he was letting her down. "Maes?" She counted down the seconds, praying for a response. "Open your eyes sweetheart."

She knew these things took time, but with everything happening around them, their time seemed so short. "Don't forget what you promised me." Her fingers curled around his limp hand. "Don't make me wait."

She was at the edge of her seat when his eyelids flickered, but that was all it progressed. The moment passed and she was left, once again, waiting around. It really didn't make any sense for her to feel cheated but it seemed unfair that just when she and Maes were putting things back together they were broken back apart. She knew he was going to be alright, but thinking and seeing are two entirely different things. She needed to see it; she needed to hear him tell her that everything was going to be okay.

Slumping over in her chair, she let her head rest against the hospital bed. Going home to sleep wasn't an option; she needed to be by his side when he did decide to finally wake up. There were things she could live without, but dealing with a loss of this magnitude, she wasn't sure she was strong enough for that. When you decide to spend the rest of your life with someone you just can't think about what life would be like without them. God how she wished she could give blind optimism a chance and continue to picture that fairy tale ending, but seeing him like this made it nearly impossible.

She fell asleep before she could really think about a life without Maes Hughes in it.

"Oh my goodness, my boy!" A frantic sounding woman said in a rush.

A deeper and far calmer voice settled the frantic atmosphere. "Mary dear, the doctors said he's going to be just fine."

Who was talking? Gracia shifted out of the uncomfortable position she had fallen asleep in, her neck and back feeling stiff. Opening her eyes she blinked a few times before she sat up straight.

"Mr. and Mrs. Hughes?" She tried without much avail to smooth her crazed hair down.

Mrs. Hughes cheeks were wet with tears as she practically tackled her. "Gracia!"

Gracia patted her future mother-in-laws back in comfort as the woman sobbed into her shoulder. When she was finally released from the death grip, she managed to actually stand up to receive a more subdued but comforting hug from Mr. Hughes. "How are you holding up?" He asked holding her out at arm's length to look her over.

She wasn't quite sure how to answer that in the presence of her fiancés overprotective mother and solemn father. Now was not the time to confess that she had at one point thought Maes was going to die. There was no need to worry them with something she had decided was not going to come to fruition. "I'm alright."

Mrs. Hughes engulfed her into another bone crushing hug. "Oh bless your heart, such a wonderful girl to have stayed by our son's side this whole time!"

"I'm glad you're here." She replied earnestly. "I wasn't sure if you received the messages I left for you."

Mary, Hughes mother, grew teary eyed again. "Thank goodness for your message, the hospital didn't call until a few hours after. Arthur and I thought for sure it was one of the boys, they're both stationed at Briggs you know. We never dreamed it would be Maes that was in trouble. I don't know if I could have made it the whole train ride here without knowing if he was going to make it." She dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief.

Mr. Hughes held back as he always did, observing the situation. "That train ride didn't offer much in the way of food. You look like you could use a nice, hot meal Gracia why don't you join us for lunch."

Lunch? Was it already lunchtime? Time was such a relative thing when you're not sure how much of it is left. She studied Maes's peaceful expression, not wanting to leave his side. But as always Mr. Hughes intuition was spot on, he knew what was best. She really could use a good meal.

"That would be nice." She agreed.

The tomato soup soothed her nerves as it slid down her throat, warming her with each drink. Even though it was cafeteria soup she was sure had just been poured from a can and warmed on a burner, it still tasted wonderful as her appetite claimed it all. She didn't even realize how hungry she was until that first slurp, the liquid burning her tongue a little. Despite her absorption in the consumption of her lunch she noticed that Mr. Hughes occasionally looked up at her. There was a worry in his eyes, a worry that made her feel childish and small under his gaze. It felt strange to have them direct some of their worry her way, as if she were their own child. His mother's mommy-coddling towards her wasn't something new but it surprised her to find that as they ate together it actually put her worries at ease. It was fleeting but she wondered which of his parents Maes would mirror if they ever had children. Though she knew he did take after his mother's eccentricities when it came to something he loved.

"Excuse me."

Looking up from her lunch she sucked in a startled breath at the sight of the nurse who had been tending to Maes. "Yes?" She asked timidly, afraid of what news she might bring.

"He's asking for you."

Gracia clenched her hands over her knees feeling the weight lifting off her burdened heart. Did she dare to hope? "He's awake?"

The nurse smiled, "Yes."

About to rush to his side she faltered looking back at the Hughes. Mr. Hughes put a hand on his wife's shoulder as if to keep her from following. "He's waiting for you dear."

Their kindness wasn't lost on her but she felt guilty, he had been their son long before he had been her fiancé. "But-"

Mrs. Hughes settled against her husband. "Oh sweetie, we'll have our chance. For now he's asking for you."

Still not convinced she stayed put for a second until both of his parents urged her on. "Go on!" The both insisted in unison.

Sending them a grateful look she ran out of the cafeteria, skipping the elevator and charging at the stairs. When at last she reached his room she found herself breathless with what she might find. Hesitant at first she took careful steps, afraid this might be a dream as she watched him reach out toward her. But then he spoke and her world seemed to right itself once more.

"Come here beautiful."

Grinning over the tears that spilled down her cheeks she closed the distance between them and embraced him. Being careful of his recent wound she leaned over and continued to kiss him until at last she had to draw back for breath.

"Maybe I should get shot more often." He chuckled looking thoroughly pleased.

"Oh Maes." She whispered, brushing away the happy tears. "You silly man, didn't I already promise you forever? You don't have to be a hero to keep me."

There was a definite pause as if he were stuck on her words. "You think I'm a hero?"

She wondered why he sounded so surprised, did he not know? "You helped save Winry and put Kimbley behind bars. Everyone is calling you a hero."

He still didn't sound convinced. "And what do you think?"

She kissed him again, letting the warmth sink its way through. "You scared me Maes, I thought I'd lost you. Next time you play the hero at least let me be the sidekick."

It was good to hear him laugh as if their nightmare was truly in the past. "The first thing on my hero agenda is to save you from my parents."

Gracia playfully hit him on the arm, insanely happy that he seemed well enough to be joking around. "What's wrong with your parents?"

Hughes laughed. "They have empty nest syndrome with both Frank and Walter up at Briggs. I'm surprised they aren't here right now." He mused thoughtfully.

"Actually…" She confessed, "They should be up here any minute now."

He smiled fondly at her, his hand coming up to run through her hair. "How long do you think we have?"

Gracia blushed, knowing her thoughts were a long way off. His injury needed time to heal, and the activities she was thinking of were strenuous enough to possibly cause him more pain than he was already in. "I'd say we have as long as it takes for them to take the elevator up and walk towards your room, so seconds really."

He grinned at her in a way that made her blush and wonder if his meds were a little high. "We can accomplish a lot in a short amount of time."

"And have your parents walk in on us, no thank you. I would actually like it if your parents like me." She admitted.

Hughes just continued to grin like an idiot. "You could never do anything that would make her think badly of you. She already thinks of you as the daughter she never had."

"Of course I do!" Mrs. Hughes exclaimed from the hallway as she joined them.

Gracia watched as Maes cringed at the impact. Mrs. Hughes seemed oblivious as she continued to squeeze him tightly. "Oh my poor baby boy!" She gushed.

Mr. Hughes held back a moment, a mystified expression on his face. "Mary dear, don't forget he just got out of surgery."

Hughes's mother apologized profusely while fussing about his blankets and pillows. But no matter his mother's antics, Gracia could see that he looked content to have the three of them in the room with him. He had really always been a family man.

The next few moments were filled with laughing and of course talk about the upcoming wedding in the summer. Everyone was ignoring the giant elephant in the room, the fact that the boy they all loved so much had come so close to death. Instead they talked about the future and pretended that their faith had never wavered.

**(Winry POV)**

"Police are investigating an incident on Central University's campus. Two students were shot in an attempt to save a young woman. Detectives say that the man responsible for the abduction of Winry Rockbell, another student at the University, was apprehended on sight. Sources say the suspect could also be linked to the recent death of young Tyrone James. No word on the condition of the two students involved in the shooting but…"

Winry hit the power button on the remote control, watching as the screen flipped to black. Sitting in the dark and lonely dorm room she shivered hard, the hair rising on her skin. Fumbling for the light switch she sagged against the wall in relief as the light revealed nothing out of the ordinary.

It was too soon to be reliving this nightmare, too soon to be fighting away the demons.

She wished, for the first time since she had started school, that she could just pack up and move back home. There was such a deep yearning for the sunny fields and endless summer that made Central look so ugly and barren in comparison. She thought of Granny rocking in her chair, the pipe in her mouth no more an accessory than an arm or a leg.

Thinking about home led her thoughts to that quiet hill, the one on which two gravestones sat marking the worst lost she had ever felt. Her chest felt tight at the thought of them, the pain swelling as her need for them only amplified. She had that sinking feeling, the one that continued to plummet like a bottomless pit. There was something she hadn't told the police, something she hadn't been able to tell anyone. Kimbley's words had stirred up something that had lain dormant inside of her. She had always thought their deaths had been quick, casualties of a war, but murder? The musty smell of that basement room haunted her like a shadow she couldn't escape. Had they faced a similar terror, were they brave until their last breath or were they as scared as she had been? There were so many questions that sang through her head like the haunting call of a crow as it claimed its prize. Had they been tortured? Held captive; a slave to the will of another? Was it the quick and painless version she had been told or was it this more severe and terrifying possibilities that were closer to the truth?

Feeling like a child, scared of monsters under their bed she grabbed her room keys and headed out. There was a distinct chill in the air, only amplified by the wind and perpetuated by the absence of the sun. Pulling the hood of her jacket over her head she waited at the bus stop nervously, her eyes darting from corner to corner, her palms sweaty in fear. She told herself it wasn't always going to be like this, but how could she really know?

Thankfully there were only a few people already seated on the bus, their heads down as they chose to keep to themselves. It never ceased to amaze her how different the country was compared to this cement and block world. That in a city where people practically lived on top of one another they could still act like complete strangers. She leaned against the cold window watching as the streets dragged on by. The bus finally dropped her off about a block away from Central hospital, an inconvenience but the best she could do without a car herself. She instantly regretted not putting on her scarf and gloves, it already felt like winter to her. Walking at a brisk pace she flinched at every noise, and jumped at the slightest disturbance around her. A crash down an alleyway nearly sent her into a run until she caught sight of the perpetrators glowing cat eyes in the dark. There was nothing to fear here, nothing like what she was thinking of.

Upon entering the hospital she could already feel the magnetic pull, the peculiar connection she shared with these white walls. Having been a recent patient she was already accustomed to its hallways and recognized by the staff which allowed her, without much difficulty, to find one of the rooms she was looking for.

Knocking on the door out of politeness rather than necessity she smiled at the two people in the room. Gracia looked up first, her tired eyes shining with happiness at her arrival. Maes was a little slower on the uptake as he sluggishly moved his head to get a good look at her. Her irrational fears rested for the moment as she took the time to smile and be thankful that they had survived. God it was good to see him moving around, even if it was only a little.

His body rose a little as if he were attempting to sit up. "Lo Winry."

His subdued greeting was a little concerning; she was accustomed to the usual fireworks display of affection and undeniable happy-go-lucky spirit that could brighten anyone's mood. But there was a strain in his expression, a similar look that presented itself in Gracias eyes as well. It dawned on her that they were seeing something she couldn't. The sight of her couldn't exactly bring up happy thoughts for the moment and she couldn't fault them in the least. There were things that scared her and right now she knew it was scaring them. Her arms were bandaged and the bruises on her neck were bad enough that she had decided to forgo fashion in exchange for turtle necks and sweatshirts.

Concerned that she had ruined her time with them she tried to find common ground on something that might really capture their consideration. It sounded a little forced, but she decided it was better than not trying at all. "I heard that with BTA's date auction the final total towards the Make-A-Wish foundation came in at around $25,000."

The answering smiles on both Maes and Gracias face made her feel like home. There were good things in the world, thank goodness there were.

Winry watched her sorority sister squeeze Hughes hand tightly. "I wish we could see the looks on their faces when they find out they are about to have their dreams come true."

She suddenly felt like the third wheel as Hughes turned his happy smile to that adoring, infatuated stare he reserved only for Gracia. "They aren't the only ones whose dreams are coming true."

Standing witness to the real power of love Winry found herself feeling like an outcast. Not wanting to intrude upon them any longer she remembered what she actually came to say. "I know I already said it, but I can never thank you enough Maes, you saved my life." Her chest constricted, "Both of you have done so much for me these past few months, I don't know how I can ever repay you."

Maes exchanged a look with Gracia. "Winry." He began. "I already think of you as my little sister."

Gracia bent over to fumble around in her bag. Pulling out a sweatshirt she proudly handed it over to her. Embroidered on the front was the familiar Kappa Delta letters, but below that it read Beta Tau Alpha Little Sister. She bit her lip to keep from overreacting with tears. One of the greatest honors a brother could bestow upon a girl was lavaliering her, but the second was taking on a little sister. "Are you sure?"

The dark haired man nodded his head firmly, leaving no room for mistake.

Gracia looked ready to burst with good news. "Not only does Maes consider you a little sister but I do too. That's why I wanted to ask…Winry will you be one of my bridesmaids?" Gracia finished with such a sweet sincerity that Winry found herself fighting back the sting behind her eyes.

There wasn't anything to say that could put words to what this meant. She struggled to answer them but found that hugging onto each of them tightly seemed to convey what she wanted just the same. It's a simple joy, a lingering happiness that makes you feel stronger …she wondered if growing up with her whole family together would have felt like this, she imagined it would.

When it finally came to say her goodbyes she noticed that the two of them still had this mischievous glint in their eyes. "What?"

"Tell Ed we say hi." Maes offered cheerily.

"Of course." The heat rose to her cheeks as she fell right into their trap. Flushed, she tried to stammer out some kind of story that would make coming all the way up here, late at night, seem like a normal friend thing to do, but she was coming up empty handed.

Gracia stood up and walked her out. "Winry."

She held back for a second, just out of hearing distance from Maes.

"He was a real mess when you were gone Win."

Ed had been through some scary things in his life, Winry wouldn't blame him for assuming the worst. It was a perfectly rational response; it didn't mean she had this pull over him, not like she meant more than a friend.

The older girl touched her shoulder, snapping her out of her thoughts. "He really cares about you."

"He's the best friend I've ever had." She defended as if to prolong the fall she knew she was about to take.

Her sorority sister stared at her like she was missing the point. "Maes is the best friend I've ever had. I just want you to think about it; don't give up just because he doesn't make the first move."

Hell, she wasn't concerned about making the first move. She was raised by one of the most independent and forward thinking women around, waiting around for a guy to make the first move was laughable. Her dilemma didn't originate from a lack of self-confidence or some kind of preconceived gender role. No, it came from the fine line that one drew when it came to friendships between a boy and a girl. The real problem was in trying to fight it off before it began, trying to smother her feelings before they threatened the one thing that really made her genuinely happy. Even with his flaws she still couldn't imagine her journey without him.

Then there was that nagging voice, the one that forced her to look into why she wanted him to feel something else, why she needed him to. Maybe it came down to a simple scenario which had almost played out. If she only had hours to live, what would she want to tell him?

Telling him that he was her best friend seemed like such a poor phrase to encompass all that he really was to her.

Winry embraced her sister one more time. "I think I'd have to be an idiot to fall in love with Edward Elric."

Gracia just shrugged her shoulders, a wise, sage like wisdom to her words. "We're all idiots when it comes to love."

He was sleeping when she entered his room, the covers bunched around his hips, his hand resting on his stomach. The TV was on, but from the looks of it he had passed out a least an hour ago. Having been admitted with really minor injuries she had already made a few trips to see him even before she was discharged. It helped to be around a familiar face when the same irrational fear began to eat away at her.

She had already sneaked a peak at Edwards's charts the first day she had snuck into his room. There was no way she was going to trust the nurses about his condition, she made sure he was going to be alright before she let them escort her back to her own room. It was an undesired aftereffect that seeing the damage written out caused her to relieve those few days. Like a CD that continued to skip back to the same song over and over again. He had been shot right through the shoulder, the bullet leaving a clean entrance and exit wound. It had failed to hit any bone or vital organ, but the muscle it tore through was going to take some time to heal. The hospital would probably keep him for a couple more days under observation but she was excited that he would be back to school soon.

Turning off the TV she pulled the covers back up and tucked them around Ed. When he didn't flinch in his sleep she pulled up a chair and leaned her elbows on the bed. The fear lurking in the back of her mind began to dwindle, his presence relaxing her. Out of that nightmare she had discovered the truth and now she needed to tell him the truth. Touching her finger tips across his hand, she dragged them slowly across his skin wishing she could talk to her best friend about what was bothering her.

**(Havoc POV)**

With everyone feeling a little nervous around campus Havoc thought his game would definitely pick up. Girls would be only too eager to have a man escort them home and he would be only too happy to oblige. The only thing that turned his little fantasy into a nightmare was the existence of one disturbingly false rumor. Rumors have a way of sticking around long after they have had their desired effect. He was beginning to learn that when a rumor involved an STI, it tended to stick around a little too long.

Needless to say his charming personality could only take him so far; most of the girls he walked home left him at the door. It was only after a teasing display the entire way that they finally spouted off the deadly friend line and left him hanging. Not to point fingers but somehow he had a feeling Rebecca was behind all this. The girl might love to play coy, but he had a feeling that she was getting back at him for that time he told his fraternity brothers that she was a prude. A pretty big lapse in judgment in hindsight, but he honestly hadn't thought it important to keep something like that a secret. He had been a naive and immature freshman boy who had been rejected.

Sitting outside he smoked the rest of his cigarette eyeing the dark sky above. He spied her walking up to him out the corner of his eye, speak of the devil. Rebecca emerged from inside the dorm building her eyes settling on his.

"Looks like it might snow." She commented looking up.

Grinning, he dropped the bud to the ground and smashed it with the toe of his boot. "Sure is cold enough for it."

Rebecca leaned against one of the brick pillars supporting the overhang. He took that as a cue that she was staying and decided to light another one. He held out the pack towards her, "Want one?" He offered.

Pushing a few locks of curly black hair from her face she eyed it for a moment before shaking her head. "Maybe another time, you do realize it's bad for your health right?"

He had to laugh at that, "They say stress is bad for your health too. I'm just merely choosing which vice I take on." She had that way about her; he knew she was looking for something from him. "So if it looks like it might snow and you don't want to smoke, what brings you out here?"

A couple walked by stealing her attention before she returned her attention to him. "You looked lonely."

The slight tease in her words created just enough excitement to keep him interested. Rebecca was playing his role so well that he didn't mind tagging along in hers. "How do you think you can help me with that darlin'?"

She wrinkled her nose. "Darlin'? You are such a southern boy."

"So where does that leave us?" He questioned, awaiting her answer before he continued on this path. They had kept their distance, but the more they fought it lately the closer they seemed to get.

"I was right about you Jean Havoc."

She was not the first woman to say that to him; that phrase never ended with anything good. "And are you disappointed?"

"No." She fiddled with the zipper on her jacket, "I knew when I first met you that you weren't the dating type. But then again, I never pegged you as a dishonest man."

Was that a compliment, somewhere in there he thought there might have been. "Well then it's only fair that I tell you I thought you were a stuck up tease."

The frown lines deepened in her forehead as she dropped her zipper. "And are you disappointed in what you found?"

"Yes."

He watched her swallow, her chest rising and falling as if time itself were holding them in a world all their own. "Should I be apologetic?" She challenged him.

He had a good laugh at that one. There was something else he had wanted to pry out of her, more to figure out her reasoning than to actually place any real blame. "About starting rumors about me having crabs... probably."

The undeniable look of guilt covered her pale complexion. "Crabs huh, did you figure out which girl gave it to you?"

He exhaled a puff of smoke feigning shock. "Funny, I was under the impression that it came from you."

Rebecca scoffed. "You had it coming and you know it." She shot back without remorse.

"Jealous?" The two of them stood watching as a few people entered and exited the dorm building. The wind picked up a little and he found himself watching it tease her hair. She swatted the stray pieces a few times before giving up and letting them fly in her face. Seeing her in a pair of ripped jeans with a sweatshirt and her hair messy was a lot sexier than the skin tight clothes girls often wore.

She moved closer to him. "Jealous of what?"

Finishing off his second cigarette he nudged her in the shoulder. "Jealous that other girls were paying attention to me."

Rebecca leaned in towards him, their faces inching closer. "Like I said, jealous of what?"

She licked her lips and he was gone. Griping the back of her head he yanked her towards him, smashing their mouths together rather ungracefully. He could hear a startled noise winding up in the back of her throat but when he ran his fingers through her hair she seemed to relax. The smell of lavender scented soap wafted from her hair, further pulling him under whatever spell she had cast on him.

Breathing hard he stepped back, trying to calculate what his next move might be.

"You're a terrible kisser."

She had to be kidding. "What?"

Rebecca shrugged her shoulders looking a little disappointed. "I really thought you would be a lot better than that. You know, all the wait, the buildup and then wham."

Jean missed the smirk on her face as he pulled her in again, determined to prove her wrong. Sucking on her lower lip he could feel her stir under his hands. Leaning back he made a face at her. "Ha! Try calling me a lousy kisser now!"

"Lousy kisser." She taunted.

He couldn't really be mad at her with those red lips looking swollen and her eyes wide in expectance. "At least I'm not a tease."

She smiled ruefully, "Talk about the pot calling the kettle black."

Rebecca was a smart girl, a collected and witty girl who didn't make a move without planning the next one in advance. So what the hell was she flirting around with him for? This might be lighthearted banter, but he knew where he wanted to take this and where it should never go.

There was something there between them, he couldn't deny that, but what he should do about it had him at a loss. "You sure you don't want one?" He offered his pack of cigarettes one more time before pocketing them.

She shook her head. Why was she staring at him like that?

"Suppose I'll see you round then." He paused waiting for her to contradict him but it was like clockwork between them. You could map out exactly what was happening to them and still wind up nowhere. There might come a day when things lined up.

She looked puzzled for a moment before shrugging her shoulders. "I suppose so."

He was going to pretend that kiss was more of an experiment between them rather than a starting point. Things couldn't get complicated between them; she was one of the few girls who put up with having him around. Yeah, there might come a day when things lined up, but it certainly wasn't today.

**(Edward POV)**

It was a new day and he had yet another scar to add to his 'repertoire of things to impress the ladies with' as Havoc had put it. Al had added that he would have been better off losing another limb in favor of automail if he was looking to impress a certain girl with his body. Innocent Al was turning into every other high school kid with his mind in the gutter.

Younger patients usually had parents fawning all over them but not him. A few nurses had updated him that his father had to leave for an urgent business call and of course Al had to be forced out of the waiting room so that he could go back to school. So he should have been used to being alone, but that just wasn't the case.

He had overheard an orderly complaining about how they should have just placed Rockbell in his room. That had seemed like a pretty good idea in his mind. When he had first woken up after surgery Al had stood there looking smug because draped across his lap was Winry, hospital gown and all. It was becoming increasingly more difficult to focus on anything besides her. He was convinced that the only reason they had released her so early was because they didn't want to have to keep dragging her out of his room. It had shocked him that even after she was released he still woke up to find her sleeping next to him or curled up on the window seat studying for their exams.

But all in all he was actually excited to get back to school, stoked to be out of the stuffy hospital and relieved that it was over and they were still standing. Winry had wheeled him into Maes room the other day and lucky for him he had been early enough to share a delicious apple pie that Gracia had concocted. When she had the time to run home and make an apple pie, he had no idea. Especially since no one had seen her leave his side.

Time had passed, as it always did, adding with it a conversation that was yet to be had. There had hardly been a time when he wasn't hanging out with Winry, but they still managed to avoid a topic he was sure was on both of their minds.

The library was packed with students, the study tables overloaded with piles of books and papers. It shouldn't have been surprising to him, it was final exam week. The only plus to finals week was that it marked the last week before a long winter break. He slouched down in his seat, setting his pen down and flexing his aching hand. One semester down, seven more to go. At this rate he wasn't going to make it through his freshman year, yet alone graduate. Family problems aside, it had been one hell of a roller coaster between joining a fraternity and well, meeting Winry. How strange that his life had become so fixated on one girl.

He had been watching her across the table for more than a few minutes now. It was clear from that glazed over look that the text was going over her head. She was stressed and despite her strong character he knew recent events had taken their toll. Someone had managed to steal that zeal from her personality, to take what she was and hide it under this cautious and conserved mannequin before him.

"You might as well put the book down."

She didn't even look up at him. "Ed I'm studying."

He pushed the book physically out of her reach. "Put it down already."

Her face turned up, a look of irritation flaring on her pretty features. "I said I'm studying Ed! I'm studying for a test that I have zero chances of passing, so help me if you-"

Well he stopped listening to her rant at some point but only because it was all there. He smiled as she huffed indignantly and went back to reading, her eyes focused and determined. Roy might piss him off a lot but if he had taught him one thing it was that sometimes you have to beat each other down before you can build back up.

**(Rose POV)**

"Marry me."

"Quit it."

Kain chuckled like this was a joking matter. "Marry me Rose."

"Ugh, I said quit it." She complained.

"You're not even considering it. I think you owe me that much." He replied in an offhand way.

This was not the conversation she wanted to be having. "I'll leave." She warned.

He grinned at her, "No you won't."

"And why wouldn't I?" She protested haughtily.

"Because I love you Rose and I want to marry you so it's a simple yes or no scenario. So Rose, which is it?"

They had been going back and forth on this for the past week. Usually she liked to sweep her problems under a rug or at least move them someplace else where she didn't have to look at them. But with Kain bringing up his impromptu proposal every few minutes she couldn't pretend it didn't exist anymore. A lot had happened between them but on this point she was going to stick to her gut feeling. "I love you and that's why I can't marry you."

Kain shook his head, his arms folding defiantly across his chest. "Sorry Rose not a good enough answer."

Her throat tightened, this was the first real relationship she'd ever had so she wasn't sure exactly how to respond to everything. "You just want me to marry you because you're dying."

That shook the room. The color drained from his face. "Rose…"

"I don't want to marry you because you're dying. That's a page right out of some cliché romance novel where no one ends up with a happy ending, but they pretend there is some kind of higher purpose to be found." She finished feeling a little childish in her reasoning.

His arms wrapped around her, the strength in his hold enough to confuse her. How could someone so alive be dying on the inside? "Do you even have a ring for me?" She asked trying to lighten the mood.

He had that up to no good look she usually found on his face. "I have one better, what do you say to a trip to Creta for winter break?"

Bickering aside, a vacation sounded heavenly. She kissed him long and hard, ignoring the frantic workings of her brain as it tried to figure out how to explain eloping in Creta to her extremely conservative family. As much as she had been trying to suppress it, she was starting to see the world through his eyes. It was now or never; sometimes things just couldn't wait. She thought of her roommate and how close she had come to losing her life. It just proved that nothing in this world was a given. To hell with only being a freshman and to hell with being the young age of 18. Kain was changing her world and she either stood still and let it spin or she ran with it.

**(Olivia POV)**

The ice clanked against the glass as she tipped it back, pulling out the last drop before setting it back down. Exams were done and while the majority of people were packing for break she had coerced Buccaneer into a drink with her. But why she thought their conversation might just skip over their mutual friend was laughable.

"Do you think you're better off alone?" Buccaneer asked in his straightforward manner.

Olivia considered the thought briefly. "I don't know."

"Well, are you happier now or before?" He rephrased.

Was she happier being this cynical, power hungry, woman on a quest for the top or did she like having someone to share it with? Good question. "We can't just be friends and he doesn't want to be more than friends so that leaves us with nothing."

Buccaneer scoffed. "He's worse than you, you know. At least you're trying to pretend like everything is ok."

That was news to her. He seemed like he had his act together when he had come to stop her that night. But then again someone had to retain some sense of reality between the two of them. He was always good in a difficult situation at diffusing the tension. She tried to steer the conversation off of her disaster of a love life. "How are you holding up?"

The large man released his booming laugh. "Well I would feel a lot better if I didn't have to play translator between you and Miles. It's simple. I don't want to do this anymore and I won't pick sides." He took a swig from the stein in front of him.

"Who said you had to pick sides?" She grumbled this wasn't a divorce; they didn't have to divide their assets.

"Yeah, yeah. With two hard asses like you and Miles it feels like the cold war around here. Someone's gotta put out the white flag, figure it out."

He was going to act high and mighty with her? "And what would you suggest?"

The beer stein he had been drinking from sat empty as he frowned at her. "Forgot how to talk have you?"

"We've already talked, it didn't work." She amended sharply.

Buccaneer rolled his eyes, which was quite a thing to see on such a severe looking man. "You two don't talk, he lectures and _you_ bark out orders. That's not talking that's fighting."

"And you're the expert on working things out?" Her large friend wasn't exactly known for his diplomacy.

"Nah, but I settle my feuds. Like I said Olivia, figure it out already."

**(Riza POV)**

"Miss Hawkeye may I have a word?"

Riza turned around looking back at the exam she had just submitted. "Is something wrong Professor Raven?"

The serious look on his face suggested there was, but for what reason she was at a loss.

"Simply a word. If you would please wait for me up at my office?"

Riza glanced around at the last two students in the room still taking the exam. "But sir…"

"I will be up shortly." He replied back.

Troubled by his failure to explain why he needed to speak with her she left the lecture hall feeling a little upset. But since he had yet to grade her final exam she knew it was good policy to follow his wishes and made her way up to his office as asked. After speaking to the secretary at the front desk she was pointed towards the last office down the hall. Even though it had been a couple of months the lady startled her by offering her condolences for the loss of her father. Could that possibly be the intent of her professor? She hadn't been aware of any friendly relationship between her father and Raven. After a few more minutes of waiting outside his office door she concluded that that couldn't be true, her father had been close with only one thing, his research.

"Miss Hawkeye, thank you for waiting so patiently." Raven unlocked the door, holding it open with one hand while gesturing her in with the other. "Please, have a seat."

Riza obeyed, setting her bag on her lap as she sat rigidly. "I'm sorry, have I done something wrong?" She asked still feeling uneasy.

The door shut, blocking out the telephone ringing down the hall as it closed with a soft click. Raven leaned back against his desk instead of taking a seat behind it. "Oh no, no."

She had a perfect grade in his class, what could he want to talk to her about? Her fingers tightened around the strap of her bag as she felt the hair rise on her skin. "You just wanted to speak to me then?"

"Your exceptional aptitude for law. You are my brightest student; any thought as to which law school you intend to apply for next year?"

His easy going nature began to ease the tension she had felt earlier. Releasing her bag from a death grip she wished she hadn't jumped to conclusions. "To be honest things have been so hectic that I haven't had much time to think about it."

Raven sat down in the chair next to hers. "A student with your attention to detail and high marks shouldn't put off making a decision. You should think about staying in the area, Central's law school is one of the finest in the nation. Besides…" He placed his large hand against her knee leaning in slightly, "I am very close to Dean Bradley. With my help you would have no problem getting accepted into our law program."

It was hard to not focus on his hand or the closed door without a little bit of suspicion. She made sure to word her response back in a firm and professional manner. "I appreciate your help; I will let you know if I think about going to law school here."

His hand rose a little up from her knee as he squeezed her thigh briefly. "Wonderful. I knew you were a smart girl. Looks like we will be seeing a lot of each other, you're on my class registry for next semester as well."

There was an awkwardness provided by her silence as she slowly rose to her feet, feeling very uncomfortable at the way he was looking at her. He had never shown her any reason to be nervous around him before, she was just overreacting. "Of course. Thank you for your career advice."

She stuck out her hand waiting for a business handshake but instantly regretted it as he brought her fingers up to his mouth choosing to kiss them instead. "Please, stop by my office anytime. I would love to discuss your future."

Walking briskly down the hallway she ignored the secretary's pleasant farewell and booked it out there. She lingered inside the building for a brief moment before walking out into the cold. She was just overreacting…right?

**(Edward POV)**

A sharp knock at his door made Ed bolt upwards in bed. With all his finals done all he wanted to do was sleep. Kicking off the sheets he rolled out of bed and stalked towards the door. "Who is it?" He snapped, like an old man with a threatening cane.

"Open up, it's me."

Pushing the door open he stared at his pretty blonde friend. This might be one of those dreams of his… "Winry it's three in the morning-"

She frowned at him, "I can tell time Ed."

Okay, so maybe it wasn't that type of dream. "Then come back a reasonable one." He griped. Ed attempted to shut the door to avoid confrontation or worse disappointment.

"But Ed, it's snowing."

He was not getting out of bed for snow. For someone who didn't live in Central that might sound exciting and fun, but for someone who had just recently recovered from being shot and having two automail ports the idea sounded painful. Too bad for him she was already starry eyed and ready to go.

Winry followed after him in a huff. "I've never seen snow like this, come on!" She practically begged him. "Please?"

Looking outside he watched the tiny pieces of white float in front of the streetlights. There had to be at least a foot of snow already layered on the ground. He glanced back at Winry and then back at the snow. She was already in a pair of boots along with a hat and gloves, waiting expectantly. "Winry…"

"Ed." She fired right back. But she should have known she had already won.

It pained him that he could see the beginnings of scars on her wrists. His throat tightened at the thought of having lost her that day. So she wanted to play in the snow, why was this even something he needed to think about? "I can't believe I'm doing this." He muttered as he began to slide on a pair of boots over his flannel pajama bottoms.

"Eek!" Winry jumped up and down excitedly. The smile on her face contagious and for that moment he forgot how tired he felt or how cold it was outside. All he knew was that she hadn't smiled like that in a long time.

Walking across the street towards the quad Ed paused as he caught Winry with her head tilted back, her tongue sticking out. He smothered a laugh. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Closing her mouth she smirked back at him, "Why not? Everyone always catches them on their tongues."

"You don't want to know what could be in that one tiny snowflake, you do realize-"

He was halted by her fingers on his lips. "Ed." She smiled happily. "Can we pretend you're not this science geek and just have fun?"

There was enough snow on the ground that he knew it wouldn't hurt. She wanted fun did she? His shoulder still hurt, but like pain ever stopped him from doing what he wanted to do. He tackled her into the snow making sure to rub a handful into her hair. She fought back with vengeance, lodging a nice clump of snow down the back of his shirt.

"Wah!" He cried as the wet powder began to turn to liquid as it ran down his back.

Giggling she rolled out from under him and began to run across the snow covered area. Ed used this time to pack a snow ball, flinging it with his good arm to hit spot on at his mark. Winry squealed as she tried to duck only to have it smash right against her shoulder. Before long they were both lying down next to each, laughing hard and soaked to the bone. They hadn't been out there that long but the sharp pains began to settle in. Ed grimaced as his shoulder port began to ache, not to mention the shoulder itself. There were times when having automail was a plus, but the cold of winter was not one of them. Winry leaned over him, the loopy smile vanishing off her face. "Your automail is hurting you, isn't it?"

He tried to fake it, but he knew she could tell. "Not too much."

"Come on." She got to her feet and helped him up to his. "I was starting to get cold anyways."

The wet clothes that clung to her figure were not helping his overactive imagination. The greedy little voice at the back of his head urged him to put an arm around her shoulders and to offer several pleasurable ways to warm their bodies up. He was glad his cheeks were red with cold or else she might have figured out that his mind was currently in the gutter. Winry grabbed ahold of his flesh hand as they walked back, sufficiently wiping his mind clear.

He wasn't sure how they ended up in his room, but he was soon offering her a warm pair of sweats as he turned the other way. When he finally turned back around he watched as she tried to comb her fingers through her tangled hair. Her cheeks were still pink with cold, but she looked happy.

The pain in his shoulder dulled at the sight.

Hiding behind his closet door he managed to pull on another pair of pajama pants. Just as he was about to pull on a shirt he noticed Winry standing behind him. Jumping slightly he glared at her. "Were you watching the whole time?"

She acted like he had insulted her. "No, but don't put a shirt on just yet."

"Huh?" He sincerely hoped this wasn't a dream, even though it sounded like one.

She grabbed his towel off its hook on the back of the door. "Here." She motioned for him to lie down, "You'll ruin your automail if you don't dry it right." Well now at least he knew he wasn't dreaming. She fused over his automail longer than she did the skin that was already healing up from where he had been shot.

Her hands ran over the spot making him jump. "Ah! Watch it!" It might be almost done healing but it was still sensitive!

He heard a sniffle. What? Aw shit, did he really just make her cry? "Winry…" He began.

She turned away from him, working furiously to brush away evidence. "Sorry, it's nothing."

That phrase was designed to trick the male population into false security. "You didn't hurt me. Just scared me s'all."

"That's not it." She still sounded choked up.

What the hell was she crying about then? _Women_. "What's wrong then?"

At last she faced him, her eyes rimmed in red already. "I'm sorry Ed, about everything. I shouldn't have gone off to dance with Kimbley, I was so stupid."

They were guilty soul mates. Hadn't he just spent the past few weeks berating himself for not just dancing with her when she asked him to? "You have to know none of this is your fault. You do know that right?"

"Look at everything that happened…Sam being dragged into jail, Maes getting shot and then you…he could have killed you that night."

He watched her stare at her hands like she was the culprit and he couldn't stand it. When had she pegged herself as the villain?

"Winry."

He watched her turn her head up to look at him, an unsettled look to her. "You aren't stupid so I have to assume you're blind." He said bluntly. So he couldn't articulate that in a way that wasn't brash... that had never stopped him before.

Her cheeks flared with red, "What?"

"You can see me right?"

She put a hand up to his forehead, "Maybe I shouldn't have made you go out in the snow."

He wriggled out from her touch, glad to see she didn't look as miserable as she had a few seconds ago. "Look at me, I'm alive!"

"Yes, I can see that Ed." She checked her own forehead before checking his again. "You don't feel feverish."  
She was under the impression he was losing it, but for once he felt like he knew exactly what was going on. "You gotta let it go, if I had a nickel for every time I _almost_ died…" She frowned at him, he gulped. ok maybe that wasn't the best way to word it. "Because of you, they were able to put that nasty piece of work behind bars. You were strong Winry, you survived."

"I don't feel strong." She disclosed looking vulnerable.

Oh, he was definitely going to regret this. "That's alright, I'm sure I can find a _normal_ mechanic to work on my automail. This hunk of metal would probably be better if it came from someone who _was strong_ and-"

Whack.

Yes it was too late to turn back now.

Winry pulled her hand back looking furious but he couldn't help but grin at what was surely going to bruise in time. "Are you kidding me? Ed you are such a little brat!"

He massaged his jaw not sure that little tease had been his best plan. "Jeez woman, are you trying to put me in a coma?" If possible she looked even more furious but he had already made his point. Why did all his plans for helping her end up with him getting hurt? "That's going to leave a mark." She was already on her feet.

"Can't pretend you're not strong now." He added smugly despite getting punched in the face.

It must have finally sunk in. Looking over her shoulder she gripped the doorknob tightly but he noticed she was smiling again. "I hate it when you're right."

**(Pinako POV)**

Being so far away from the City had a way of sheltering you to time; isolating the small things and making them stretch on and on. So when she finally got wind of what had been happening at Central University she felt like she was traveling back in time.

It had been ages since her son, Urey had gone away to college. Ages since she had spent some time worrying about what might happen to him. Worrying that he might take after her and not his father to be more precise. But Winry was different; Winry was her granddaughter and had proven time and time again that she could stand on her own.

"I'm sorry gran." She sounded strange, timid almost.

"I may be old Winry, but I'm no fool. You should know by now that I have ways of finding these things out." She could tell her granddaughter didn't like to upset or worry her, but surprises weren't much better. "Are you going to be alright?" She questioned firmly.

When her granddaughter didn't answer right away she furrowed her brow. "Winry, did you hear me?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

Pinako knew when her granddaughter was lying. "Well if you're fine than I could use your help over break. I have some rush order jobs that need taken care of. Oh and bring that Elric boy with you, the roof has been leaking right over the shop, impossible to get any work done." Might as well kill two birds with one stone. She needed help around the place and that Elric boy needed to prove his worth. That and Hohenheim's inquiries about her granddaughter and his son had sparked her interest; she wondered what Urey and Sara would think.

"Edward? I guess I could ask him…"

She could almost feel her granddaughter blushing at the thought of bringing a boy home with her for the entire two weeks. But it was a better alternative than this reclusive girl she could see developing in the aftermath of such an experience. She might not always play the typical grandmother role, but she could tell when things needed maintenance.

**(Al POV)**

There was only one student at Central Academy that wasn't excited for winter break to come. Al sat in class feeling pretty bummed out. High school was great, even better than he had imagined it would be. Being around people again, especially people his own age was vastly rewarding. The teachers were lively and even the worst amount of homework at least gave him something to do in that lonely flat instead of worry about his brother.

Ed had already called him to let him know he was staying in Resembool with Winry for break to help her grandma out. _To help her grandmother out_…he wasn't born yesterday. He hoped the two of them would stop playing cat and mouse long enough to realize they were crazy to keep putting off the inevitable. Whatever, he was learning vast amounts of 'what not to do' when it came to girls from his brother.

Throwing his bag over his shoulder he walked slowly out the front door of the school after the bell had rung, ending the day. Waiting for the usual company car to pick him up he was surprised to see the familiar red corvette sitting out front. A crowd of admirers were already closing in.

"Al!" Winry got out of the car and practically tackled him. A few of his classmates looked on in increasing admiration as the older and very attractive girl clung to him. He supposed that no one had to know that she was more of a sister, better to let their imaginations come to a more exciting conclusion.

When he was seated in the back and they were driving towards the freeway he started to get confused. "Brother, home is the other way."

"Yup, got it Al." He insisted defiantly. "Winry helped me to pack some of your stuff, you're coming with us." He replied gruffly.

There were a thousand things that crossed his mind but his cat took the first slot. "What about Sebastian?"

Ed scoffed. "It'll live."

"Brother!"

Winry swatted at Ed before looking backwards over the seat. "The cleaning lady is going to feed your cat while we're gone. You do want to come, right?"

He thought about the lonely flat and the hurried note his father had left explaining some business deal out west for the remainder of the year. Another part of him thought of his brother lying in the hospital and even of the days when Winry had been missing. They were the closest to family he really had.

"Does your grandma cook as well as you do?" He asked as if to cover his real excitement about joining them.

"Shes cooked for you?" Ed asked looking a little more than jealous. "You've never cooked for me!"

"_You've_ never asked." Winry flashed a smile back at Al, "Grans even better than I am."

They might have jumped to conclusions by packing his stuff and assuming he would want to go with them. Good thing they were right. "Then count me in!"

About six hours later they were digging themselves out from a snowbank, Winry muttering something about not letting Ed drive. His brother combated with a flushed face that maybe if she hadn't of fallen asleep on him. Al groaned as they continued to bicker back and forth...those two really did deserve each other.

* * *

**Next Chapter: Happy Holidays **

With temperatures dropping everyone needs a way to heat things up. Some are about to take the plunge while others struggle to make the first step.


	18. Happy Holidays

**A/N: **I must warn all my readers that this chapter has become a victim of a massive amount of fluff. I have been trying to edit out some of the more useless garbage in here but it kept coming back! I promise the next chapter will resume this story's usual soap opera drama haha.

**Chapter 18: Happy Holidays**

**(Miles POV)**

There had been some long meetings held in the Greek Life office; some spanning six hours straight. As a president of one of the fraternities on campus he had been coerced into several meetings on everything from chapter management to values based recruiting. But today's meeting was the most intense since the death of IFC president Tyrone James. Today's agenda had begun with the unsurprising University plans to put Kimbley's chapter on probation until police investigations were complete. The strangest part about the meeting was the presence of Dean Bradley. The man didn't look pleased and with his history of trying to shut down Greek Life Miles feared this added involvement was not helping their case.

To be honest, his biggest problem at the moment was the brief words shared between him and Olivia before the meeting began. As the group of presidents filed out of the room for a small break he caught her eye and followed her into a more secluded part of the student center building.

"Miles." She offered like a cold breeze.

He let out a sigh. "Olivia." This was going to be difficult and she was not going to make this easy on him. "You said you wanted to talk?" He prompted her.

"I think that we are both adults and this is a childish game we're playing." It sounded stuck up and haughty.

"Who threw the dice first?" He didn't raise his voice, it was an honest question.

Her eyes flashed and he knew she had taken it as an accusation. "I don't need someone to stand by me; I will make it on my own."

As always he was going to have to fight her ego. "And you always get what you want, so why did you want to talk to me?"

She was staring at him from behind that beautiful blonde swoop of hair that often hid the real Olivia. "There are unresolved issues between us."

"Liv, I'm not one of your sorority sisters, you can cut the presidential speech." He needed her to be raw, let it out. Hell, scream if that was going to clear the air between them. But if she couldn't show him any real emotion then it really was over.

"I hate this, all of this."

It occurred to him that this really might have been the first time she had ever had things pulled out of her hands. "You think you're the first person to get frustrated when things don't go their way? Everyone loses control, you 're allowed to lose it once in a while."

There was hesitance on her part and that cold demeanor began to thaw. "Not me, I don't have the luxury of failing. I can't afford to lose it now."

It was exhausting but he had figured out something since their initial breakup, he was stronger than he thought. He could fight with Olivia and chose to walk away; he could fight for what he wanted. "None of us can, that's why we lean on each other. We don't shut each other out."

"But I-I don't want to do this without you." She admitted.

"What exactly do you want from me?" He needed to hear her say it; he had already said his peace. If in the end it wasn't enough he was going to have to learn to move on.

The delicate skin across her forehead wrinkled as she seemed to think it over. It was always going to be a struggle to get her to talk about her feelings, at least the ones that didn't involve anger or impatience. "I don't want to be just your friend; not when I know how it feels to be something more. You mean something more to me."

He had walked into this expecting a lot of things, but hearing her say them aloud melted away his stern reluctance. He caught the hair over her eye and pushed it back. "I don't want to stop loving you Miss Armstrong, but that doesn't mean I'll let you walk all over me. You're not the only one with dreams."

Her head pushed into his touch, the sorrow on her face relieved. "Miles…" She leaned forward and waited for him to finish her thoughts. He responded enthusiastically meeting her in a deep kiss.

They stayed together like that for as long as it took for both of them to show the other what they had almost let go. He didn't believe that things were going to magically get better, but knowing that he wasn't the only one fighting for this changed everything. Being with her was never going to be easy, but he could figure out the rest later.

Olivia sulked and he wondered what was going on it that head of hers. "I think our break is almost over, we should really head back to the meeting."

"How much longer do we have?"

She looked over her shoulder but there was no one around. "A few minutes?"

They both looked at the empty room behind them. If there was one thing that was never lacking between them, it was physical attraction. He smirked, "You really think that's enough time to-"

Olivia narrowed her eyes and he thought maybe he had read it all wrong. She tugged him forward by his tie, "Oh, there's time."

There were needs and then wants, he was only too happy to fulfill both. Following someone else's lead didn't have to always put him in second place. For things like this, he knew they each had equal parts. And despite his denial to the obvious, he found her dominance very attractive and at the present moment he was all too happy to submit to her will.

Walking back to the meeting, clearly a few minutes late the room fell into silence. He didn't trust himself to speak; just trying to keep a serious face was taking his full concentration.

"Thanks for finally gracing us with your presence." Their Greek advisor eyed them sternly.

Olivia gave him a sly look before glancing at the expensive watch on her wrist. "Huh, my watch must be off." She sat primly in her spot and as usual no one dared challenge her. The room settled back into the drab of politics and Greek life but he just couldn't fit back in. Between his still racing heart and the way she was still looking at him they could have been talking in Drachman for all he cared. One thing was for sure, being with her was never dull.

**(Ed POV)**

It shouldn't have come as a real shock that Al got along famously with the old hag. His younger brother was already turning into Suzy homemaker, helping around the house, picking up groceries from town and he had even caught him feeding some stray cats in the barn. He would have been able to put it out of his head if Al wasn't over there mucking it up as he sampled the first bites of stew and all the other goodies that were stinking up the place.

"Aren't you done in there? I'm starving." He complained feeling righteously indignant.

"Rude." Ed looked over to see Winry coming up from the basement, a scowl on her face. Her hair was pulled back and he could see some lines of grease on the apron. While he had been up on the roof making repairs she had been down in the basement working on several pieces of automail. He had a feeling the old bat had planned it out this way just to torture him. There just didn't seem to be the right time or place to pull her aside and really talk to her.

Al poked his head out of the kitchen to where Ed was lying sprawled across the couch. "If you helped maybe it would be ready faster." He answered cheerily, not all disturbed by the dark cloud hovering over Ed's head.

"Nngh." He was tired from the day's work.

"Then quit your yapping." The old lady wagged a spatula at him in warning.

"Don't hog the couch Ed, make room." Winry pushed his feet off, taking up a seat next to him.

Women in this house. "Rude." He repeated her earlier sentiment.

They glared at each other until Winry closed her eyes and sank back into the couch cushions. He could see it in the way her head nodded off to the side that she must be really beat. He was about to go back to lounging when he noticed her apron had begun to slid down, that skimpy little tube top barely leaving anything to the imagination. Didn't she realize it was wintertime? It might be warm in Resembool but it wasn't that warm this time of year. He must have been staring for too long because something whacked him across the back of his head. "Dinners ready."

If he wasn't a guest in their house he would have had some choice words with Winry's gran. Luckily Winry didn't notice or she was too tired to care. Either way he was soon distracted by the mouthwatering sights and smells that awaited him in the dining room. Food had a way of mellowing out his temper and of course seeing both his brother and Winry laughing together was the icing on the cake. It was nice to know that despite horrors of the past, people could find a way to be happy in the present. Once he was done stuffing his face he avoided clean up as he snuck outside to enjoy the mild weather. It might have been a little cold to be outside without a jacket but he didn't mind. No snow, no problem.

Den wandered about the yard while he twiddled his thumbs enjoying the break. He heard the screen door open and shut. Craning his head backwards he spied Winry staring at him. "So this is where you're hiding. Okay Mr. Fix it, show me the goods."

Well that was first. "Huh?"

She cocked her head to the side confused, like her meaning should have been obvious. "The roof? Show me what you've been up to all day."

The roof, right. He stood up and pointed towards the section he had worked on. "Well there it is, all done."

She looked skeptically upwards like she didn't believe him. "Go get the ladder, I want to make sure."

After propping the ladder against the house he held it steady as she climbed up before following suit. It was getting a little darker but the landscape was still clearly visible and breathtaking. She looked at the newly shingled area and instead of turning back around she proceeded to take a seat.

He watched as she patted the spot next to her for him. It didn't occur to him at first but once he sat down he realized that this just might be the moment he had been waiting for. Take that back, maybe he wasn't as well prepared as he thought. He was about to start ranting off about what he wanted her to know when he noticed something was off. It wouldn't have been apparent to most people but he knew Winry and he knew that look. "So are you going to tell me what's bothering you or are you going to make me guess?"

She smiled but he could sense the storm lurking behind the clouds. "I'm okay."

After what had been done to her he knew better than to accept that answer. "I don't believe you." He thought about the fear he had seen in her eyes that day. "Nothing like that could ever feel ok."

She stared out at the large expanse in front of them, the empty fields and the distant farm houses. Her arms drew up around herself as she shivered slightly. "We're hundreds of miles away from Central… I thought being away; I thought maybe I wouldn't be so scared anymore. But what if…what if I'm always this scared?"

It was second nature to put his arm around her shoulders as she leaned against him. Okay…maybe not second nature, but it felt right. Running his hand comfortingly along her outer arm he could feel the tension in her release. "I was scared-I'm still scared of what could have happened. You're not weak, this just proves that you can still feel; that you know what happened and the thought of it happening again scares you."  
Her head lifted off his chest a little as she peaked out from under his hold.

He swallowed hard, trying to push away the lump building in his throat. "I've been scared hundreds of times. When I thought I'd lost Al, I broke down and went numb. I didn't think about anything, I didn't deal with it." He wanted to help her; he needed to help her understand. "I ran away from my fears and they ended up haunting me. You're braver than I am. Look at you, you face your fears head on. " He paused in his rambling. "He's locked away for good Winry he can't get you anymore."

She wetted her lips with her tongue and he didn't think he could breathe. She looked away, like the setting sun had drawn her attention. "Do you know what scared me more than dying?"

He didn't have a clue; the thought of her dying scared the hell out of him.

Winry bit her lip as she pointed her gaze back at him. "Not being able to tell you how much you've meant to me." She paused and he couldn't breathe, couldn't even begin to form a coherent response.

It's the kind of moment that propels you into the future, knocking away all of those walls you've boxed yourself into. She was the most beautiful thing in his world and she was waiting on him to decide. It was clear what the drumming in his ears was and why she caused his palms to sweat and his words to garble out into rambling. Had there ever been a more idiotic boy in an adult's world? With all the things both of them had lived through, he didn't want this to be another tragedy in the mix.

And in his quest to find the right thing to do he had caused her pain. "Say something." She begged him quietly as if the phrase scared her as much as his silence had.

He didn't want to say anything; the time for talking was long gone. Besides, opening his mouth to speak had a greater chance of him messing this up than the alternative. To hell with his damn insecurities, she was right there and waiting. Sitting forward he intertwined his hands into her hair, pulling her head towards his. He could see her mouth open slightly in surprise as he brought her closer, but that didn't stop him from finishing what he had set out to do. They had talked, fought, hugged, cried; it was about time he kissed her.

This wasn't his first kiss, but it certainly made the others seem so insignificant. Winry was his friend, the tomboy mechanic he had been inseparable from since the moment he met her. He pushed his lips a little harder against hers, waiting for her to respond. He didn't want to think what would happen if she rejected him. He refused to open his eyes, refused to pull away in case he was right.

And then he was being pinned to the roof under her control, her mouth kissing his and all his worries went swoosh right out from under him. Or maybe that was the ladder.

She pulled away, her eyes wide. "Ed, tell me that wasn't what I think it was."

Well, he couldn't tell her a thing because between her lying on top of him and what had just happened he was gone, long gone.

"Ed!" She accused him.

"What?"

Standing to her feet she looked around wildly, like something might pop out of thin air if she looked for it hard enough. She leaned over the edge her mouth pouting. "You hit the ladder off! You idiot, how the hell are we going to get down?"

Ok, so he might have felt it brush against his leg, but why would he even think about that useless piece of junk when he was in the middle of something ground breaking? "Yeah, well maybe if you hadn't of tackled me I wouldn't have knocked into it!" He snapped back, rising to the fight.

Her cheeks reddened and she backed away from him. "Yeah, well you started it!"

"Like you didn't want me to!" He shouted back feeling his pride take a tumble.

Right, once again he was not doing himself any favors. She turned her back on him, but he noticed that she was shivering. Coming up behind her he knew the dangers of her turning him away but she couldn't really run from him, right? Feeling a little bold he wrapped his arms around her. "Winry." He spoke softly into her ear, his chin resting on her shoulder.

She turned around slowly in his arms, her face bumping into his. The anger began to fade from her expression. "How is this going to work?"

"Well." He shrugged, "I'm pretty sure Al and the old crackpot will notice we're missing sooner or later."

"No, I didn't mean that." She touched his face. "I meant us."

"I don't know…but I want to try." He offered expectantly.

That must have been the right thing to say because she was back to kissing him instead of yelling. That seemed like a good thing, a very good thing.

**(Al POV)**

They weren't eavesdropping. You can't call it eavesdropping when the two people in question are yelling so loud you can hear it no matter where you go. "It sounds like they need help." He wondered out loud nervously.

Winry's grandmother chuckled. "Between the two of them they should be able to figure it out."

"Huh?" Sometimes he wasn't sure he completely understood her brand of wisdom.

The older Rockbell woman continued to smoke on her pipe. A smug grin sat on her face. "It's about time."

Eventually when the temperature had dropped low enough that Pinako had lit a few logs in the fireplace he was sent out to help assess the damage. It had been eerily quiet; he hoped that hadn't killed each other at this point. He wasn't sure whose temper was worse, his brothers crazed rage or Winry's violent fury. Shaking his head he made his way outside and found the ladder strewn across the ground. That was weird, he would have guessed his brother being stuck on a roof would have encouraged more yelling. "Brother?" He called up again. "Winry?" We're they even up there?

Hoisting the metal ladder up against the side of the house he began to climb. It squeaked with his movement but he kept his eyes focused up, instead of thinking about his growing acrophobia.

It was hard to see in the dark, but even he could see what was laying a little ways away. Winry was huddled against his brother, her head lying on his chest and his arms holding her tightly in place. They appeared to be asleep, but he barely trusted his brother not to fall out of a bed, yet alone on top of a roof. He coughed nosily into his fist.

Winry shot right up while his brother put up a little more of a fight before joining them in the real world.

"Why didn't you guys call for help?" He asked, hoping to startle a response from them.

It was a dead tie for who looked the most embarrassed. But the longer he stood there the more Ed looked ready to throttle someone, specifically him. Whoops.

The next few days were fairly predictable in his eyes. It was all too common to find his brother and Winry either fighting tooth and nail or the new alternative…kissing. Today when he walked into the living room he was greeted with the former. They were arguing over how to put the plastic pine tree together and thus it looked like it had been through a violent wind storm. Several branches were mismatched and others were missing entirely. He knew better than to get caught in the middle of argument between those two. About to make a mad dash back outside he was caught red handed.

"Al! Come tell Winry the tree looks fine." He boasted loudly.

Winry snorted, "Yes Al, please tell us what you think of Ed's assembly job."

The tree looked pretty rough. His brother was really going to have to remember that more often than not, Winry was right. "Brother, are you sure you read the directions right?"

Ed scowled, "I don't need directions to put together a stupid Christmas tree."

He was about to tell his brother that obviously he did, but smartly he chose to refrain. "Well if you're happy with it, then that's all that matters." He responded optimistically.

"I am!" Ed combated, his stubbornness not allowing him to actually admit that it was a disaster.

Winry looked torn between amused and irritation. "Well, if you're happy with it then I guess I'll go downstairs and grab the box of ornaments. Oh…" She picked up a piece of mistletoe from the bottom of the box she had been looking through. Holding it over Ed's head she kissed him on the cheek before heading towards the basement in search of the rest of the decorations.

Both brothers watched her leave the room with open mouths. Al couldn't believe Winry had given up the fight and the other part of him couldn't believe that Ed had flipped his mood just as quickly. The older Elric was grinning as he put away the box the tree had come in and what was worse, was he whistling?

After the place was covered in seasonal decorations and they had exhausted themselves Al had a moment to talk to his brother before they called it a night. "Hey brother?"

"Wha-?" His brother replied sleepily as he flopped down on the twin sized bed across the room from his.

"What did you get Winry for Christmas?" He hoped his brother's pause meant that he was embarrassed of getting her something sweet and not that he had yet to get her anything. "Brother? Don't tell me you haven't gotten her a present?"

"I haven't celebrated Christmas in years Al, give me a break!" He shot back defensively

That threw him off, "You didn't?"

Ed snorted, "Yeah, Hohenheim and I exchanged gifts and sang Christmas carols." He commented sarcastically.

Al knew his brother and father didn't get along, but he had missed out on quite a lot. They had always spent the holidays together just Ed and him. There was a guilty weight on his heart as he thought of having to spend the holidays alone like his brother had. He must have looked upset because his brother sat up and frowned.

"Aw geez Al, I didn't mean it like that. It just makes this holiday that much better, ya know?" He rubbed the back of his head looking sheepish. "I guess I need some help in picking out a gift for Winry."

His brother was right though, this was already turning out to be one of the best holidays he had ever had. "I can't believe you didn't get her anything brother." He shook his head in exasperation before laughing as a pillow hit him in the face. He chucked it right back at his brother.

"Yeah, yeah laugh it up." Ed said dryly but he ended up laughing right along.

**(Gracia POV)**

"Hey there toots!"

Gracia rolled her eyes as Walter breezed through the door. "Hello Wally." She deadpanned, hiding her own amusement at Maes' younger brother.

He looked over her shoulder at the dough she was rolling out. "She's letting you help her with the molasses cookies? I'm impressed, she won't even let dad get near enough to figure out the recipe!" He exclaimed stealing one from the last batch she had already cooked.

"Walter Hughes you are going to ruin your dinner!" His mother chided him as she came back from the pantry with some fresh vegetables for dinner.

Gracia smothered another laugh as Wally ducked out of reach of his mother and yanked another cookie before running from the room. Even though she was an only child she had come to find that big families had a whole other appeal. The crowded feeling of the house only served to create a warmth and vibrancy that made the holidays feel complete. She had met his family on quite a few other occasions in the four years they had been together, but this was her first time staying with them for the holidays. With all the bodies and limited space she was curious as to what the sleeping arrangements would be. That particular discussion had yet to take place and she wondered what plans his parents had in mind. Even with a ring on her finger she knew her own parents view on premarital relations and she had a feeling Maes' parents would agree wholeheartedly.

Frank walked in and grabbed two beers, not acknowledging their presence. Gracia could see Mrs. Hughes tense but she didn't comment as he walked back out to the living room where the rest of the family was watching the game. Without any prodding Mrs. Hughes did however sink against the counter looking exhausted.

"Mrs. Hughes? Are you alright?" Gracia stepped forward to assist her but the older woman shook her head.

Looking a little teary eyed she spoke softly. "He hasn't spoken a word to us since he came home. He's been in combat service for two years and now he won't speak to us? I just…with Maes in the hospital and Wally just joining up with the service…" She held up her hands looking lost. "My nerves are a wreck, oh what you must think of me."

Even as she hugged her future mother-in-law she felt just as lost. She couldn't imagine the kind of stress she must be under. If she had two sons in the military and one put in the hospital she would be a wreck. Secretly she hoped that she would be blessed with a little girl, boys were an awful lot of trouble.

Mrs. Hughes patted her on the back, "Bless your heart, you are such a welcome presence in this house."

They finished dinner and while the food turned out beautifully and Wally animated the table with his usual jokes and jibes, most of them stemming from his recent experience in boot camp something just felt off. Mr. Hughes at last pulled out a bottle of wine, uncorking it and pouring a glass for each person at the table.

Holding his glass up he smiled around at each of them. "To my beautiful wife and future daughter in law for this wonderful meal." Gracia hoped she wasn't as red as her blushing cheeks felt at the compliment.

"And" He continued, "To my sons, Maes' bravery in the face of death and both Frank and Walter for their courageous hearts as they serve this great country."

Cheers echoed around the table but she noticed Frank still hadn't uttered a word, his glass drained in one gulp. It wasn't until later in the evening when she was finishing up cleaning in the kitchen with Maes that she finally heard the oldest brother speak.

"I said drop it."

Gracia flinched; she had never heard him raise his voice before. In fact of the three bothers he had always seemed to be the most rational and serious.

"You're in my house and while you're under my roof I won't have it." Mr. Hughes announced in a softer but firmer voice.

That's when Gracia spotted the open bottle in Franks hand, was he drunk?

Maes stepped in quickly as if on damage control. "Come on Frank, let's go for a walk."

Frank backed away from the both of them. "I don't want to go for a walk.

"Trust me; let's just go for a walk." Maes offered again, stepping closer to his brother.

Gracia could see that between both Mr. Hughes and Maes they had Frank backed into a corner. He looked like he might respond when Wally came waltzing through and cut the tension like a knife. "Man Frank I heard you could throw some back but save some for the rest of us huh?" He laughed enjoying his own joke.

Mrs. Hughes who had been standing there in angst screamed in shock as Frank began to wail on his younger brother, the bottle in his hands shattering as he fought him to the floor. He wasn't able to get in that many hits before he was pulled off by the other two males but the damage was already done.

Wally spluttered, his hand touching his mouth and pulling away to reveal a growing splotch of blood. "Jesus Frank! What the hell was that for?"

Frank breathed heavily his arms shaking, "I'm out of here!" He snarled before stalking through the front door, leaving it wide open to the chill that had circled the room.

Maes stared from Wally to where Frank had once been, his mouth open in shock. Gracia pushed him forward, already in motion to finding a cloth to put a few ice pieces inside for the growing bruise on his brother's face. "Don't let him drive." She urged knowing that if someone could calm his older brother down it would be him.

Mr. Hughes swore so loudly the room seemed to echo and Gracia was submerged in a family that now seemed completely foreign to her. Mrs. Hughes was crying as she struggled to clean up the broken mess on the floor. What in the world had just happened?

**(Maes POV)**

"Frank!" Maes hollered, though slightly relieved that his brother wasn't walking towards his truck but down the road.

"Frank!" He barked again when he didn't get an answer. Good thing he had dealt with drunk guys in college, it made his reactions easier.

His brother finally paused long enough for him to catch up; a complete 180 written all over his face. They walked together for a while before Frank finally spoke. "I didn't…I didn't mean to hit him." He answered as if the fresh air had sobered him up.

"How many beers have you had tonight?" Maes asked quietly.

Frank kicked at a rock on the road. "Enough."

"Thought so, want to talk about it?" He knew that his brother had seemed a little off since he had come from Briggs.

"I got a promotion."

Well that was the last thing Maes expected his brother to say. "Isn't that usually a cause for celebration?"

Frank frowned, "My first reconnaissance mission out on the border as a captain and I lost two good men. I just…" He paused in step, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. "They were the same age as Wally dammit. Did you even see him tonight Maes? He jokes around like the service is some kind of game. Those guys, the ones that were killed, they were just like him…what if it had been him? Look at you, you're the smart one and yet some psycho manages to shoot you. How the hell am I supposed to watch out for the both of you when this shit comes out of nowhere?"

"Drinking yourself stupid and beating up your brother is your solution?"

The once distressed look began to ebb away to anger. "What would you do in my position, huh? Mom and dad's golden child is about to graduate from college and marry Gracia who might as well be a saint. What do I have? I can't get out of the military. I've been in long enough to know that I won't ever be able to live a normal life. And what about Wally? You think he is going to stay this way forever? The stupid kid is going to get himself killed and it will all be my fault because I'm his older brother and I let him join the fucking service!"

"You have to separate family from work Frank. You're home now, not at base. Now should be the time when you relax and just enjoy the time we do have together."

They continued to walk in silence until at last his brother seemed to cool. "Since when did you turn into the oldest brother?" Frank murmured.

Maes pushed his glasses back up his nose, "Nearly dying will age you pretty fast." He admitted.

The hand on his shoulder was unexpected but comforting. "You've been through a hell of a lot these past weeks; you shouldn't have to deal with a drunken brother too. Do you want to talk about what happened?"

He had been so focused on just recovering from his wounds that he hadn't really talked much about it at all. Drinking away his troubles was the easy solution but he had watched it destroy plenty of good men in the past. It was time he started to talk about the things he had seen, the things that had been done.

"We really do need to catch up huh?" Frank asked quietly.

Both of them had been through some pretty rough things. "That's what brothers are for."

Frank looked a little weary. "I think I'm still a little drunk, mind if we keep walking?"

Maes patted him on the back, "This road's long enough."

**(Riza POV)**

Roy had been an orphan for as long as he could remember and Riza, well she had considered herself an orphan when her mother passed away. They had nowhere to be, no family to open presents with, no relatives to drink and share stories with, no one but each other. Riza laughed as Roy dragged her through the snowy streets, the slight bounce in his step making her forget all of her troubles. It was Christmas and despite her earlier melancholy feelings toward the holiday she was beginning to change her mind. There was no reason why she shouldn't be happy today of all days.

"Where are you taking us?" She asked in exasperation as they rounded yet another corner.

An elderly couple admiring the lights that lined the shop fronts bid them a merry Christmas to which Roy responded back just as enthusiastically. He tugged on her hand pulling them forward their boots flicking up snow as they began to run.

When at last they slowed Riza pulled his scarf so that he was facing her. "You best start explaining what's wrong with you."

He grinned. "It's Christmas, why is running happily through the streets wrong?"

She playfully punched him in the shoulder. "Roy Mustang you are up to something."

"So what if I am?" He kissed her on the cheek. "Come on, it's cold out here."

Riza had barely followed him through the door when she realized just where they were. The familiar bar, unlike most places, was indeed open on Christmas. Madam Christmas herself looked rather festive with a sparkling red dress and a fluffy white boa for accent. A group of older men were playing a few classic Christmas tunes to the enjoyment of a small group of people swaying to the beat. She wasn't sure how she should react to this surprise. Should she be mad that he took her to a bar or should she believe he might want to spend time with her and his foster mom?

Roy hung up their coats before pulling her towards the main bar. "Two glasses of eggnog please."

Madam Christmas smiled widely at the two of them. "You know this old cash register just isn't working at the moment." She winked at them, "Suppose drinks are on the house for you two tonight."

Well that sneaky wit of Roy's had to come from somewhere and Riza believed she had found the original source. "I can't believe you have as many patrons tonight as you do." She remarked rather in awe of the number of people actually at the bar.

"Well my dear girl, there are an awful lot of people who don't want to be lonely today. I just make sure they have a place to go."

Roy stood up quickly, "Stay right there."

Madam Christmas's booming laugh barked over the band playing. "You make that boy giddier than a virgin on her wedding night."

Riza blushed heavily but her attention was on the quick departure of her boyfriend. Leaning over the bar to get closer to the older woman, she narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "What's he planning?"

"If I told you that it would ruin the surprise now wouldn't it?"

Sitting back on her stool she sipped at her eggnog, she didn't like dealing with suspense. The sound of a series of short barks drew her attention to the stairs on which Roy had disappeared a few minutes before. Her mouth hung open in shock…of all the crazy things. She had certainly not been expecting this. The black Husky pup in his arms had a large red bow around its neck and judging by the way it was trying to lick Roy's face, the two were acquainted.

"A dog?" She asked in confusion.

Her reluctant acceptance didn't appear to deter him in the least. "You need someone to help watch out for you and all the girls. This here is Black Hayate and he was being trained as a guard dog, but as you can see he still could use a little more training." The dog stared happily at her, his tongue hanging out of his mouth. "But if you want him, he's all yours."

A dog wouldn't have been her first pick as a Christmas present but when she thought about Roy worrying about her and the girls enough to do this the idea began to thaw. Reaching forward she ruffled the dogs fur. "Are you going to be a good dog?"

The pup barked happily at her attention and though she wasn't about to jump up and down in excitement she had a feeling she was already growing attached to the little guy. A few of the loners in the bar took to Hayate with ease, keeping him busy so that Riza was alone with Roy…as alone as they could be in a bar. "This explains why I found a bag of dog food in your car."

Roy looked amused. "What did you think it was for?"

Riza raised an eyebrow, "The things you make your pledges do, I learned a long time ago not to ask."

The jazz band struck up a smooth version of Silver Bells, the singer snapping his fingers along with the slow beat he crooned. It might have been the eggnog or it could have just been that it was Christmas, whatever the reason she didn't fight it as Roy pulled her to her feet and began to slow dance with her.

"I still have to give you your Christmas present." She reminded him.

He pulled her close, "Being with you, that's all I want."

Riza let her head fall onto his shoulder, "That's all I've ever wanted."

**(Miles POV)**

It was Christmas at the Armstrong's and the scene was breathtaking. Lights were strung majestically through the grounds, the layer of snow adding a pleasant glow to the scene. He had come from a modest family, his football scholarship was the reason he was even at Central University to begin with. Fixing his tie for what seemed like the twentieth time he tried to push down the wave of nerves that threatened to overwhelm him. Just the size of the manner was enough to remind him that he and Olivia came from two different worlds.

Olivia pulled the car up along the circle drive, leaving the keys in the ignition as a driver came to park their car. "You're not getting cold feet now are you?" She asked observantly as he smoothed a hand over the hair on his head.

"No, not cold feet. I just…are you sure bringing me to your family's annual Christmas party is a good idea?" He answered her logically. There were sure to be a great number of rich and influential people at this party, a crowd in which he would stand out like a sore thumb. He had received stares because of his race on plenty of occasions since moving to Central and he had a sinking feeling his presence here wouldn't be a welcomed one.

She glared at him. "Are you questioning my decision?"

"People are going to talk if you bring someone who looks like an Ishvalan as your escort." He pointed out smartly.

Olivia looked livid and he wished he could rewind the moment just to salvage something out of this conversation. Straightening up to her full height, which in her elegant heels was equal to his, she rounded on him. "If you stand me up, so help me I will go out of my way to make your life a living hell."

He extended his arm for her to take knowing that particular death threat was her way of saying she didn't care what others thought. "Well into the fray."

They were no sooner into the hallway when a little blonde head bounded towards them, nearly knocking him off his feet. "Sister! Miles!"

Little Catherine Armstrong beamed up at the two of them, Alex walking in her wake. "Miles it is such a pleasure to have you here in our home!" The larger man boasted as he too came to embrace him in a welcoming hug.

"Calm yourself Alex." Olivia suggested blandly as she backed away to avoid any contact.

Thankfully little Catherine served as an alternate route for his exuberant attentions. One pull on Alex's coat from her hand and he was whisking her off for a dance.

"Where are your other two sisters?" He asked watching as Olivia's younger siblings danced happily.

She shrugged her shoulder's, "Entertaining, like the rest of my family."

Miles watched her face as she gazed out blankly into the sea of people, a slight wistfulness lurking behind that expression. After meeting her brother and sisters he was sure the weight of being the eldest was what took its toll on her. While the others seemed filled with an extroverted heir of jubilance, Olivia remained the statue of precise achievement. But it was this hidden girl underneath all that poise that drew him to her like a moth to a flame.

"Careful, my father is headed this way." She observed.

The bearded man approached them in full military dress, the insignia marking his former glory years. "At last, I was afraid you might not join us. Merry Christmas dear."

Olivia nodded curtly, "Yes, Merry Christmas father."

Miles wondered where in the world she learned to be so distant, her family certainly didn't hold back. "Ah! Miles my boy, we are delighted to have you escort our daughter this fine evening."

It would never cease to amaze him that people of the Armstrong's class could look into his eyes without flinching or glaring. They really were a different breed of people, not bad, just different. "It's good to be here sir."

"You know you remind me of myself at your age, I was a magnificent specimen of a man. I went into officer training early on and was promoted to colonel before the age of 25. The Armstrong name is famous in the military you see; in fact I am most pleased to see both you and my daughter are heading in the same direction in fact…"

Miles nodded his head and agreed at the proper moments. Olivia had warned him that her father was long winded about the family's military and personal history and could talk until he was blue in the face but he was far too stoic to cut the man off.

As the night wore on Olivia finally managed to disentangle him from the clutches of her family to score them some private time. They stood out on the balcony looking out at the incredible grounds that extended far beyond what the naked eye could see in the dark. "Tell me about your family." She requested.

Olivia didn't ask personal questions too often so he obliged her. "You want to know if my parents were Ishvalan don't you?"

"Well, were they?"

He shook his head, "My grandfather was Ishvalan, seems the genes skipped over my mother and ended up with me. My father freaked out when I was born, thought my mother had cheated on him."

"Men can be fickle." She remarked and he couldn't help but smile at her brashness.

"You know I don't remember much about him; my mother doesn't like to talk about him. I don't have any brother or sisters just my mother and I."

"And you're not bitter?"

Miles thought about that, was he bitter towards a father that had abandoned him and his mother? "Any kind of man who would walk away from his wife and son isn't the kind of man I want in my life anyway. Besides, I turned out pretty well didn't I?"

She nodded, "You were right."

"Hm?"

"You were right about us; we do come from two different worlds."

He looked her in the eye refusing to fall for her easy tricks. "Then we'll just have to make our own world."

Olivia leaned slightly on him, her exhaling breath leaving a small cloud into the cold air. "I love the way it looks after it snows…I think when I graduate I'm going to request a position up north at Briggs."

Miles couldn't help but grin, he had been talking to Maes brother about heading up there for some time now. But to this day Olivia had always insisted that Central was where she belonged. To him, Briggs was one of the few places were a man was as good as his hands could make him. A place where a name meant little; a place where no glass ceiling could hold someone back from reaching the top. "Funny, I was going to do the same."

"Good." She stood back up, "I hear it can get lonely up there, I'll need someone to stand by my side."

He pulled her back to him, kissing her firmly on the mouth. "I'll need someone to keep me warm; I'm not used to the cold."

She laughed against his mouth, her eyes holding that strange twinkle. "I'll do my best."

**(Rose POV)**

The trip had so many firsts for her that Rose had begun to lose count. It was her first ride on an airplane, her first time staying at a hotel without her parents, first time gambling, and first time getting married at a cheesy 24 hour chapel of love.

She held her hand up in the air, the plastic ring sparkling with fake gems embedded in the band. Kain was fast asleep; the covers draped over his backside as he lay on his stomach, his hair messed around in a halo over his head. Pulling the covers over her shoulders she turned on her side away from him, ignoring the daunting feeling in the pit of her stomach. This was the man who had cheated on his girlfriend to have a one night stand with her, a drunken freshman. This was Kain, an infamous playboy who lived on the edge and only thought of himself…and yet there he was. A boy, a scared boy afraid of dying and of being lonely.

How many times had she envisioned her wedding as a little girl? She had pictured the beautiful church she and her parents attended adorned with her favorite flowers, the perfect dress, and the perfect husband. Surrounded by family she would declare he love for that man to God above. Pushing the ring off her finger she rolled it in the palm of her hand. She had been a very different girl back then, who was she now? The girl that betrayed her big sister and got kicked out of her sorority only to take back her spot when the tables were turned, a girl who had been called a whore and by the number of guys she had slept with it was hardly a stretch. Yawning, she rolled out of bed. Angsty thoughts had a way of keeping one awake even if they did feel tired. Looking back at Kain she sighed, no matter how many things there were that told her this was all wrong she still didn't regret her decision. Her roommate had almost died and she wasn't even sick! Here was the first man she had ever loved and neither of them knew how long he would be around for, people had gotten married at a younger age for a lot less.

The sound of coughing alerted her attention quickly. "Kain?" She knelt on the bed next to him.

He sat up, his body heaving with coughs until at last his hand drew away from his mouth. Rose cringed at the blood in his palm and the way his complexion paled to a grayish white.

"M'alright." He mumbled before exiting towards the bathroom where she heard his repeated coughs.

After room service had dropped off some breakfast they sat looking at each other from across the small table. He reached across and grabbed her hand, rubbing his thumb over the cheap wedding band. "Any regrets?"

Rose had been thinking about that ever since she said 'I do' to a small crowd of other couples waiting in line to get hitched. "Yes." She answered watching as his lips thinned as his face paled again. "I should have gone with my first instinct and ordered waffles instead of pancakes."

She leaned forward and kissed him, "You mean do I regret marrying you? That's silly; of course I don't regret it."

He smiled but it faded far too quickly, "I never thought I'd get a chance to marry someone."

"Yeah, well looks like you're stuck with me now." She replied optimistically ignoring the reference that he didn't have much time left. "Although if we just got married what are we doing sitting around a table…I was under the impression newlyweds barely left the bed…"

He scooped her up in his arms. "Let's never go back to Central. Let's run away, you and I Mrs. Thomas…or should I say Mrs. Taylor."

"Say it again." She asked breathlessly as he gently set her on the bed.

"Let's run away." He replied huskily.

"No." She leaned upwards and nibbled on his ear, "Say my name."

He grinned at her, "Mrs. Taylor?"

She laughed happily, pretending that she wasn't too young, that this wasn't a bad idea, that they knew exactly what they were doing.

**(Winry POV)**

"You did what?" Winry asked in horror, her hand clenching around the cell phone. Maybe she had heard her wrong; she didn't get that great of reception out here.

"We got hitched last night, Christmas eve…oh Winry it was terribly romantic." Rose gushed over the phone.

Nope, she had heard her all right. Winry sat down on the sofa, her head spinning. Trying not to sound pessimistic she tried to pace her words to make sure they came out right. "You just decided to get married on a whim, have you told your parents?"

There was a moment of silence before Rose spoke. "No, you're the first one we've told so far."

"I would suggest you tell them in person." She admitted feeling sorry for the Thomas's who would probably simultaneously have a heart attack at the news that their daughter was not studying up at school but off on a wild week stay in Creta where she had gotten hitched to her boyfriend of over a little more than a month.

Rose began to giggle, "Kain…stop it…I'm on the phone!"

Winry frowned, this was worse than she thought.

"Winry I got to go, I'll talk to you later. Merry Christmas, bye!"

Holding the phone in front of her in disbelief she shook her head, "Bye."

"Who was that?" Edward asked extending a cup of cocoa out towards her as he joined her on the couch.

"A complete idiot." She replied after thanking him for the drink. "What are you doing up, it's still early." The time difference between here and Creta were no issue to Rose but it was barely seven in the morning here in Resembool.

"Heard you come down here, thought you could use some company."

All thoughts of Rose left her mind as she looked at Edward sitting next to her in his pajamas, his hair lying down across his shoulders. It still felt weird that she could kiss him, but it was a good weird. Leaning forward she touched his cheek before scooting closer to kiss him. Setting down their glasses she threaded her hands through his hair as he wrapped his arms around her back. One of his hands slowly trailed down her spine until she moaned into his mouth. Embarrassment flooded her face as she realized how loud she was being. Guess this was going to take some getting used to. Breathing heavily she pulled apart from him, "Merry Christmas Ed."

He leaned back in and kissed her again, "Merry Christmas Winry." Wrapping his arms around her again she felt her hair being pushed to the side and a tiny weight falling around her neck.

Startled she looked down at the necklace he had stealthy latched around her neck. Holding it up she saw the Kappa Delta letters hanging off the gold chain and found herself speechless. "Ed…"

"I did good, right?" He asked confidently.

Feeling amused she fingered the charm, "It's perfect."

"I noticed you didn't have one and I know you don't usually wear jewelry but Al said it would look pretty on you and it does...uh." He coughed nervously, "So what did you get for me?" He asked excitedly.

Sweet as he was being she should have known he would always be the same old Ed. "Alright, alright follow me."

**(Ed POV)**

He had skipped over the hormonal teenage years, his mind caught up in other things. But now that he was lying down on a table in only his boxers while Winry leaned over him, he was beginning to think his body was trying to make up for lost time. The shiny golden lavaliere around her neck was his best distraction though when she sat up, it just so happened to point towards a generous amount of cleavage in that nightgown of hers.

When she was done checking his current automail she smiled widely, "I knew my measurements were correct. Ok, now you can see it." She handed him another leg and arm automail piece, but they were different than the ones he currently had.

"What is it?" He asked curiously.

She beamed not at him but at her precious work. "It's cold weather automail for the winter. Now your ports won't hurt as badly and the skin around them is less susceptible to frost bite!"

"It definitely feels lighter." He replied trying not to bait her into an argument by insulting her work.

She looked deflated, "You don't like it do you?"

Ed knew how seriously she took her work; he also knew that he was an idiot for not noticing before how much time she spent specifically on his. "It's brilliant Win." As he moved in to kiss her he noticed that he was still only clad in his boxers, and that nightgown of hers, was it even lower than before? A tiny voice in the back of his head exploded in excitement screaming at him that no one else was awake, they were alone in the basement, he was half dressed already and she was…she was looking at him like she knew exactly what he was thinking but instead of backing away she stepped closer.

"Edward…"

That was all it took for him to lose it. All his years' worth of pent up frustration, the time he had spent dreaming about her, time spent dreaming about a moment like this coupled with the heat of the holiday and it only took her saying his name to set him off. He wasn't exactly sure of himself but she followed his lead. He lifted her up against the work bench, his hands pushing up the satiny material of her sleepwear. Winry leaned into him her teeth sucking on his lower lip. Things were out of control but neither of them was going to back down. While pushing her down onto the work table he noticed the stairway light to the basement on.

Wait a second; he had turned it off when they had come downstairs…

"EDWARD ELRIC, WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MY GRANDAUGHTER?"

Ed looked up at the old lady like a deer in headlights. "Oh shit."

It looked worse than it was, or at least that was what he and Winry had been pleading all morning. He was sure if it wasn't Christmas the old hag would have castrated him right there on the spot.

Winry had kept busy around the house, avoiding his attention. Ed was a little peeved at her at the moment, why wasn't she being held responsible too? She was the one that had made him strip down to his boxers!

He was stewing in self-pity when Den began to bark at the front door, the sound of a few heavily placed knocks cracking upon the wood. From his seat in the living room he could hear Winry call out for someone to get it.

Walking sluggishly towards the door he didn't bother to check who it was. Opening up the door he felt the blood drain from his face. The visitor had barely managed a hello before he slammed the door in his face.

"Ed?" Winry asked as he flopped back down in a chair. "Ed, who was at the door?"

"No one." He frowned pretending to get lost in the newspaper in front of him.

She took a half step towards the door, "But I heard someone knock-"

"I wouldn't open that door if I were you." He warned her.

She huffed loudly looking irritated. "Stop being so stubborn!"

Opening the door she too looked a little pale, "Mr. Hohenheim?"

The older man stepped through the door, "Ho ho ho...uh Merry Christmas?" He offered sheepishly.

* * *

**Next Chapter: New Year**

As the New Year approaches everyone faces the oncoming of a new semester as well as new resolutions. The year marks the end of some things and the beginnings of others.


	19. New Years

**Chapter 19: New Years**

_"New Year's eve is like every other night; there is no pause in the march of the universe, no breathless moment of silence among created things that the passage of another twelve months may be noted; and yet no man has quite the same thoughts this evening that come with the coming of darkness on other nights." _

_~Hamilton Wright Mabie_  
**  
**

**(Ed POV)**

It didn't take a genius to figure out who was behind this debacle. Either Al or the old lady had something to do with Hohenheim showing up for the holidays. Feeling spiteful and angry he turned his back on the welcoming scene and made his way upstairs to the guest room where he had taken up residence. A small part of him wondered why his dad would even bother coming, even if it had been by invitation. Lying down on the bed he fumed in silence until he heard the stairs creek and the door open.

"Can I come in?" Winry asked hesitantly from the doorway.

He nodded once, it was her house she could do whatever she wanted.

Taking up a seat next to him on the bed she let out a breath of air as if she knew exactly why he was up there. "Dinners almost ready."

It wasn't an easy choice to make when his stomach was involved, but he had to make it. "If _he's_ going to be there, then I'll pass." He could hear the arrogance in his voice but holiday or not he wasn't about to give the rotten bastard a chance.

She drummed her fingers on her knee before exhaling. "I know you can't forgive him, but maybe for your brother, for me you could at least join us for dinner?"

"Tempting, but no."

Standing up it looked like she was going to give up on it but he had thought wrong. Planting herself in front of him she placed one hand on his thigh, leaning forward with the other to brush his bangs out of his face. The simple touch evoked a different kind of feeling, other than bitterness and built up animosity. There was such a contrast to the way he felt about her compared to his father that it almost made him rethink his answer.

There was a flicker of a smile before her hand slipped into his hair and they were kissing as if she were trying to offer herself up as a plea bargain. He could have considered that a low blow, but he was not going to complain about something that felt this good. He groaned as she backed away towards the door leaving him wanting more.

The smile on her face dipped a little as he stayed where she had left him. "Please come down for dinner."

He wanted to say yes, he wanted to trail right after her but his stubbornness held fast. This wasn't the sort of problem that could be fixed with the emotion of the season or even an apology of sorts. The rift that had been pushing his father and him apart for years made it hard to remember a time when it wasn't there to begin with.

She didn't leave right away, her body still lingered at the threshold of the room as if she were still waiting. Winry could fix a hell of a lot of things but he thought he should really save her the trouble and let her know there was no way to make this right.

Her head turned away but he heard her just fine. "You might not know what you're giving up, but I do. Is it that hard to just try?"

He didn't answer, he couldn't answer her.

The blonde fringe that covered her eyes sent a shadow over her turned face making it impossible to see her expression. But when she spoke it felt like she was looking right through him. "I would give anything just to be able to see my dad again."

It was a truth he couldn't deny, a truth that gripped onto his chest like a fist.

The intoxicating smells that were wafting upstairs made his stomach growl. He could already hear her footsteps in the hallway and down the stairs. How could he explain the kind of animosity he felt towards his father without rubbing it in her face that he still had a father to feel something towards? He was fighting a losing battle by trying to ignore her logic, and the evidence was stacked against him.

Storming down the stairs in a huff he didn't make eye contact as he sat at the dinner table. These traitors had better appreciate the amount of effort it took for him to sit down at the same table as the bastard. It proved to be nearly impossible to ignore that Cheshire like cat grin on Al's face and the relieved look on Winry's. _Stupid Hohenheim_. It really did irk him the way he sat there, like he belonged, like he was with family. Ed stuffed his face more to escape the idea of having to carry on a conversation than to feed his stomach.

**(Hohenheim POV)**

There were a lot of things he disapproved of when it came to Edward. The perpetual defiance had grown tiresome and though he understood it's manifestation, he couldn't seem to fight it. He was a man of reason but where reason failed he was lost in unchartered territory. Maybe he did understand that he was responsible for a majority of his son's problems but did that forfeit him the right to make amends? He couldn't help but wonder if he could ever atone enough to earn the love or even respect of his eldest son.

The truth is some wounds heal over time while others decay.

It wasn't obvious at first but the longer he spent time with them the clearer it became. Observing the table he noticed that Pinako's granddaughter had become a young woman, much like her mother at that age but with that subtle spark that tied her as a clear descendant of Pinako and branded her a Rockbell. It seemed the barriers around his son were down around her, did she know? His suspicions about the two of them appeared to be coming to fruition the longer he studied them. It was almost relieving to see the budding relationship move along between the two of them. The young Rockbell woman was clearly a thinker like her father, a beauty like her mother and a voice of reason for his son. She was strong willed enough to take his temper and smart enough to let him know when he was wrong. If she was anything like her grandmother she also had an adventurous spirit that would run right alongside that of his son.

As they ate a quiet Christmas dinner he mulled over the subtle changes between them. There were the hesitant glances and the lingering touches when they thought no one was looking. It was all very sweet and innocent, that is until later on when Pinako dropped the bomb on him.

"They did what?" He wasn't a simpleton he understood what she had said. He just couldn't fathom the idea of his eldest son pursuing that sort of relationship. It shouldn't have surprised him, college did have a way of aging people, but he had always labored under the idea that his son was different than most.

Pinako refilled his glass along with her own. "Never thought the boy had it in him. You know the last time he was here with my granddaughter for Thanksgiving they were as awkward as two left feet."

Hohenheim fingered his empty glass, the bottle of scotch practically gone between the two of them. Old habits really do die hard. "I don't know what to say to that boy anymore." He confessed feeling a little flustered.

"What is it that you want him to know?" The old woman mused, still working on her glass.

He took his time refilling his drink with the last of what the bottle had to offer. "I wasn't there for him...and I regret it every day of my life."

Pinako chuckled eyeing him carefully, "Always looking for a reason to back out of things Van, it's time to give up the excuses and do what you have to do. It's not over till its over."

He raised a brow at her. "You're quick to point fingers."

Her gaze turned stern, her voice like that of a chiding mother. "I care about those boys Van and no matter how old they get they still need a father to be there for them. You are the only family they have besides each other. That should mean something to you."

The old woman had a real knack for getting to the bottom of matters with exceeding ease, no matter what she drudged up on her way there. "I came all this way to be with them for Christmas and you saw how Edward reacted." He tried to plead his case.

"The both of you love to hold onto guilt like it's your best friend. He's not going to forgive you overnight, just like he can't forgive himself, these things take time. I'm not saying time will do the trick, but if you put in the effort, over time, you will see a change. Take it from someone who watched their son taken before their time; you don't want to live knowing there are things left unsaid."

It was easy to forget that such a strong woman had such pain lingering in her memories. Sometimes he found his memories unbearable when they turned to the death of his wife and those of his friends. But lately he had feared the memories he had missed, the ones he would miss out on if he continued to let this opportunity pass him by. After a few rounds of poker and the last of her scotch they decided to call it night. With the taste of alcohol still on his tongue he thought he might find sleep, but the slow ticking of the living room clock made it hard to forget that he couldn't let this linger forever.

**(Winry POV)**

The howling of the wind cracked a shutter against the siding stirring her from her sleep. Groaning, she turned over a few times before getting up. Slipping out of bed she pulled a sweatshirt on and straightened out the pair of boxers she was wearing before heading downstairs. She might as well get something done if she was up. Pausing at the bottom of the stairs she looked on curiously at the light still on. Sitting at the dining room table was a middle-aged man, his long amber colored hair tied back behind his head, a few stray strands hanging loosely around his face. The beard and aged features were distinctive of Ed's father but somehow she had failed before to really see how closely the two of them really looked. Stepping closer she noticed his gaze on a picture, one she had seen hung up on the bulletin board in the entrance hallway. A loose board in the flooring creaked and she was now looking into a pair of curious gold eyes. How had she never noticed that similarity between him and Ed before?

Feeling embarrassed at having been caught staring at him she tried to explain. "Oh, I didn't know anyone was still up."

He smiled up at her, nothing like the cruel man Ed had described to her. "Suppose the storm woke you up too?"

She nodded taking a seat across from him. There was a silence between them as they sized each other up. For two strangers they knew an awful lot about one another.

"You look just like her you know, besides your smile, you get that from your dad." He commented once he caught her staring at the photo of a younger version of both her and Ed's mothers smiling at the camera.

"Did you know them, my parents?" She asked as more of an afterthought when she realized he must have.

His fingers brushed over the dark haired woman's face, a nameless sorrow emanating from his eyes. "I did."

"How did you meet?" She asked hoping to grasp onto something more than a picture to remind her that they really had been real.

The skin around his eyes crinkled in the corners as he smiled at her. "Urey, your father, was my roommate in college."

Suddenly the room was very small and Ed's dad was the center of her universe as even the smallest facts drew her in. Granny spoke of her parents sometimes, but college? It pained her that her only knowledge of her parents in college was the fact that her mother was an Alpha Zeta. There had to be more, so much more that she should know.

"It's funny how things turn out. Your poor mom got stuck with me after a date dash."

She couldn't stifle the gasp that left her lips, "You went out with my _mom_?" She really hoped he wasn't going to tell her something she would regret asking about.

He chuckled, "I was a Delta Tau and she was an Alpha Zeta, they practically try to breed us. But I did think your mom was different than the others but I was such a chicken that I forced Urey to go with me. Turns out your mom was thinking along the same lines as I was and ended up bringing her roommate along…" He pointed at Trisha in the picture. "…once your dad saw your mom I knew I was out of the picture." He laughed again as she frowned in sympathy. "Don't feel sorry for me if it wasn't for your mom giving me the cold shoulder I would have never met Trisha."

Winry looked longingly at the picture, wishing her mom were sitting across from her talking about all this. Growing up she had managed to push away the ache of their absence but as she began to follow in her parents footsteps it was getting harder and harder to not feel as if she really had been cheated.

The smile began to fade from his features, "You probably don't want to hear an old man's tale-"

"Don't!" She blushed at her own outburst. "Please don't stop." She asked in a soft plea.

"What do you want to know?"

She leaned her head into the palm of her hand. "Everything."

The older man nodded and continued to talk as she hung on to his every word. He told her about how he and Urey had risked getting kicked out of school to trigger a fire alarm that postponed an exam long enough for Trisha and Sara to study off the last of their nerves. He mentioned something about being foolish and young but Winry couldn't hide her amusement. As if reliving the memories' in his head he would sometimes laugh or grin when noting a particularly funny or stupid thing that had happened. She watched as his face lit up with the highs and lows of his memories. He would pause every now and then as if expecting her to grow tired or bored with his ramblings but he couldn't be any more wrong. She just stared, the need for more obvious from her wide eyed and hopeful smile.

But the longer he talked and the more she knew, the harder it was to stop thinking about what would happen when he didn't have any more to say. She knew the story was going to end soon but that didn't stop her from wanting him to keep going. He spoke of how nervous her dad had been before asking her mom to marry him, how together they had gone to spend a year abroad studying medicine in poverty stricken areas in Aerugo. It wasn't until he began to talk about Resembool that the tears finally caught up with her.

And then they were just two people again, two people that had lost a great deal in a short amount of time.

He looked somber with regret. "I'm sorry, I've upset you."

She shook her head, wiping at her eyes with the sleeve of her sweatshirt. "Sometimes-" Her breathing hitched, "Sometimes I forget what their voices sound like, what moms perfume smelled like, but you- you remember them so clearly. You make me feel like I do too."

The lines in his face deepened with an age her parents never lived to see. "It's the least I can do." He offered. "Especially after what you've done for my son."

How this kind man could ever be capable of leaving his family behind just didn't make any sense to her anymore. "But I haven't done anything." She protested not wanting to take credit where it wasn't due.

"You don't see it do you? At the beginning of this year I gave up on my own son. He had been in a coma for so long and the doctors were convinced it was already the end. Then there was Edward, squandering away his life as if he didn't really want to live anymore."

She could see his adams apple bob as his mouth twitched, "And then they meet you and Alphonse is going to graduate from high school and Edward…my son has met his Trisha."

Winry looked away, the force of his words rendering her speechless.

His voice dropped a degree, a softer tone emerging. "We, Trisha and I, always said if anything were to ever happen we would help take care of you when your parents went off to war…but what would they think if they could see you now, see that it's you taking care of me and my mistakes?"

Winry brushed away the rest of the tears, "I can't do it by myself. I wish you would talk to Ed."

He fidgeted in his seat, looking almost as if he were ashamed of himself. "I don't know where to begin."

"It's almost the New Year; isn't that the perfect place to begin?"

His eyes widened behind his glasses before he sighed, his lips turning upwards in acknowledgment. "You really are a Rockbell."

The name had a new kind of strength to it, "You really think so?"

"I know so."

**(Ed POV)**

He was being spoiled rotten with these home cooked meals; going back to dorm room food was going to be hell. It was only around eight in the morning and she already had breakfast waiting for him and his brother. It didn't look like she hadn't gotten much sleep and yet she was smiling as if she had awakened anew. Something had changed overnight, he knew immediately from the look on Winry's face. The whole scene wouldn't have been so unwelcoming had she not been extending that pleasant smile towards everyone in the house. Somehow the coolness between her and his dad seemed to have dissipated.

Feeling a little betrayed as both her and Al laughed at something his father had mentioned he pushed his chair back and abruptly stood from the table. He had lost his appetite.

Ignoring the confused call that came after him he put on his shoes and started walking. Pushing his hands deep down in his pockets he hadn't realized where he was headed till he was there. Looking up at the skeleton of a tree on the hill he frowned at the spot where his childhood house had once stood, the place he had once called home.

Sitting down in the grass he leaned against the trunk of the Oak, feeling the bark through his sweatshirt. This thing with his dad, he wasn't sure how much longer he could hold on to it. Just seeing him there, acting as if nothing had ever happened made his fists curl.

"Thought I'd find you here."

"Speak of the fucking devil. " He mumbled in irritation.

"Edward, language." His father admonished him, though it sounded more like an observation than an order.

Of all the places in the world, they had to meet here. If it had been anywhere else he could have walked away.

"I thought you should know- no one called me to come here. I heard about you going home with Winry and called her gran to see if I could at least join you for the holiday."

Why that unsettled him more he couldn't explain. "What gives you the right to pretend like you give a shit? What, now that Al's healed you think you can come back into our lives?" He got to his feet aware that his body seemed as ready for a fight as he was.

"Your mother always knew what to say to you boys, always knew what the right thing to do was. I know you don't want to hear excuses but I didn't leave because I wanted to Edward…I left because I had to. I had to know that we had exhausted every last possibility to save her. I wouldn't give up on her, even when she tried to tell me it was the end. By the time I realized there was no hope I had already lost her."

His father had never tried to explain himself before, but Ed wasn't going to budge. "And what about after, huh? You couldn't stand to be home after she died and you know it. You abandoned us just like you abandoned her."

His father's jaw clenched, his face wrinkled like he was in pain. "I turned to my work because it was the easy thing to do. Because at the end of the day you boys wanted your mother and I couldn't face the fact that I would never be able to do that for you. Can you forgive an old man's blindness?"

Without thinking about it, he swung and swung hard. The sound of his fist making contact with his father's face struck him as a cruel blow but he didn't particularly care. Breathing heavily he pulled his arm back, afraid he might lash out again. "You say you couldn't give up on mom. But what about us? We were just little kids! How could you have given up on us?"

Hohenheim adjusted the glasses on his face, the slight bend in their frame not helping any. Still he didn't get angry and he didn't fight back. Ed was learning that it wasn't much of a fight if the person looked like they had already been beaten. "If you hate me, I understand. I just needed you to know that I have and always will care for you and your brother more than my own life."

Words didn't mean much after years of inaction. "Don't expect this to change things between us." He said and yet his anger had deflated at hearing his father say the words he had been dying to hear. It must be in the DNA between a father and son that certain oaths of love create a kind of truce.

"I know, but as one guilty man to another, at some point you have to let it go."

Frowning he uncrossed his arms. He could easily say he forgave the man and try to get back all the years of hurt but his pain still felt fresh. "And if I don't?"

His father was taking a big chance by clapping a hand to his shoulder, but Ed had lost the urge to hit him.

"Then you'll turn into a bitter old man, you'll turn into the thing you hate most…me."

Edward opened and shut his mouth several times before he watched his father sigh and look away at the crumbled foundation. The hot air that had been building inside of him began to rush out, leaving a hollow shell.

"Oh, and Edward."

He raised his eyebrows, there was more? "What?"

The older man smiled serenely. "Next time you try anything funny with that sweet girl, at least make sure her grandmother isn't in the same room."

Ed sputtered for a moment but the bastard was already walking away. Looking back at the empty plot of land he stuffed his hands back into his pockets and sighed. He had been robbed of his anger, so what now? Like a compass without a direction he felt like he was spinning aimlessly.

There was no book of human emotions that could help him decipher what their history meant or what the future might look life. But as he thought of what it all meant he thought of what it might feel like if he wasn't there at all. He thought of Winry and the distant outlines of scars she had yet to reveal. _"I would give anything just to be able to see my dad again." _For someone who had lost both of her parents she didn't hide behind anger or spite. Instead she was a picture of determination and focus. She was following in their footsteps, doing everything in her power to help those around her. He wasn't sure he could forgive his father just yet, but he knew he was going to have to learn that he was lucky enough to have the chance.

**(Kain POV)**

He had grown used to the simple idea that at some point everything that starts must stop. With their bags packed and the euphoria of their elopement slowly fading he knew this was the place at which it could stop. The snow fell heavily around them as they waited painstakingly for the taxi driver to load up their luggage and allow them to hop in the backseat. Rose clutched her jacket tightly around her thin frame, the cold of Central hitting them hard in comparison to the balmy weather they had experienced in Creta.

It was quiet inside the cab as they both sat lost in thought. It had been his idea to surprise her parents on New Year's Eve but he had a feeling she was dreading every second that brought them closer to the truth. Rose didn't have the same attitude about it all that he did. She worried about the future while he was content to just live in the present. He saw no use in stressing about what might happen it was better to just go with it.

He put a calming hand on her bouncing knee. "Are you going to be ok?"

She stilled under his touch her eyes darting to his. "I feel kind of sick." She admitted looking a little pale.

This was uncharted territory for him; his parents didn't really care what he did. From what he had learned from Rose, her parents were strict in their upbringing and demanded a strong sense of religious morality. Part of him quaked at the idea of approaching these straight edge folks to tell them he had eloped with their daughter. But the larger and more dominate part of his personality could care less what they ended up thinking. All that mattered was the space between him and Rose and where it would take them.

"Do you feel nauseous or is it just nerves?"

She shrugged, "Both?"

"Think you can make it? We only have a little longer until we're in Central."

Rose tucked a strand of pink hair behind her ear leaning back against the seat, "You really want to do this now?"

Part of him would rather they not tell them at all, but he knew she would resent him if she had to keep this a secret. "We have to tell them sometime, but if you're not feeling up to it we can always do it tomorrow."

"Whatever." Her lips thinned a little as she closed her eyes. "Let's just get this over with."

The look on their faces was priceless, maybe even ridiculously predictable from where he stood. Rose had just introduced him to her parents…as her husband. Of course Mrs. Thomas had nearly fainted at the word husband while Mr. Thomas stood wide eyed and furious. For being a religious family he was surprised that Rose's father took the lords name in vain quite a few times before taking a seat in the living room. No one really invited them inside, but they made themselves comfortable as if they had. So much for a happy surprise.

Seated on opposite sides of the living room Kain could have charged them all a hefty fee for his ability to see into the future. He knew the next words that would come out a father's mouth towards a couple that had just gotten hitched.

"Married? Rose what on earth made you think this was a good idea? Are you pregnant?" Her father asked his accusing eyes trained on Kain.

The whole thing felt sort of surreal so maybe that's why he didn't mind what the man said. "No worries there pop, the odds of me getting any one pregnant are laughable."

Mrs. Thomas looked scandalized, "So you don't deny you've been having intercourse with my daughter?"

Intercourse… really? People still called it that?

"Mom!" Rose protested looking like she wanted the couch to swallow her whole.

His bravado began to ebb as he noticed the pain mirroring out from the agonized parents in front of him and the guilty daughter next to him. It occurred to him that she had just taken a leap of faith for him, one in which he was rudely shoving back in her face. When all was said and done, she would need people like them around.

Clearing his throat he shifted slightly, "I know this seems rushed but I have only the best of intentions with your daughter. We're serious about each other and I plan on fulfilling my vows with or without your approval."

"Excuse me? I'm sorry, best of intentions is it? I don't even know your name. In fact I had no idea Rose was even dating." Mr. Thomas looked livid. "Rose, an explanation please."

"Daddy, I love him." She said it in such a childish way that Kain actually looked to see who had said it.

Leaning his elbows on his knees he covered his mouth with his hands. This was spiraling out of control fast.

"Like you even know what love is? You're only 18 years old!" He pronounced as he wildly gestured with his hands, his evil eye not on his daughter but on the stranger in their midst.

Kain didn't blame the guy; he had gone off and eloped with his only daughter.

"You don't understand, I had to…Kain's dying." Rose blurted out.

That snapped both of her parent's attention back to him, their mouths hanging open slightly.

"He'll wish he was dead if he knows what's good for him." Mr. Thomas replied sarcastically.

"Charles!" Mrs. Thomas scolded her husband looking scandalized. "We had no idea." Her hand reached out towards him but Kain backed away as if he had been burned. Feeling irritated by both the sympathy and skepticism he was receiving he stood. "Well it was nice meeting you two." He managed to make it out the front door before he lost it, his hands clenching and unclenching by his sides.

Someone had followed him, "Kain…please come back inside."

He rounded on the girl feeling hurt. "Why'd you say it?"

Something in her expression broke. "I don't know, I just…I blanked and it just sort of slipped out. I swear I didn't mean for it to come out like it did."

"You really can't stand up to them about this can you?"

She shoved him hard looking furious, "And what do you want me to say?"

"I don't know, I guess I expected you to tell them that you loved me and that was enough. Instead you used my condition as an excuse to your parents, as if you needed to explain how on earth a girl like you could have married me!" He shouted back ignoring the shortness of breath he felt. "Like I'm some kind of charity deal." It was always like this for him, once he felt the insecurities build he hid behind a fight.

"Let's just go." She admitted looking tired.

"So soon? Don't you want to drag me back in there and explain how this is only a temporary thing? Don't you want to tell them that I might not even make it to graduation?"

Her mouth opened and shut, no words coming out. Finally with a sigh she held her hands out in a surrendering gesture, "I don't want to fight with you Kain. Let's just go."

He was going to continue his rant when he felt a shortness of breath take over. Holding his hand to his chest he pounded hard, trying to cough up the blockage. Feeling slightly light headed he tried again but he couldn't seem to get a good breath in. A panicked Rose held onto his arm. "Kain? Kain!"

Without any air he couldn't find his voice to explain what he needed. Fumbling in his pockets he finally managed to pull out his specialized inhaler, his body shaking in its own panic. It took a few intakes but soon he was at least able to take short gasps. Rose sagged against him looking fatigued, "Kain…"

He cleared his throat and slowly straightened his hunched posture, "Let's go."

Reality had a way of biting you in the ass when you get too lost in dreams; the coughing fits were getting worse. As they rode in the back of a cab towards campus he couldn't stop from overthinking everything. At the beginning of each year the usual predicament was thinking about all that had passed and deciding how to continue on. He thought about his tumultuous year starting with his presidency in Delta Tau to his uncontrollable desires when it came to women and the number of signatures on those fraternity walls that resulted from a culmination of one night stands. Status symbols that had once left him feeling high but now felt like a chain linking him to someone he used to be. A part of him felt like a caged beast as he looked back on those days of carefree drinking, women, and easy thrills. Growing up for him had always served as a benchmark for the future he was never going to have. With his deteriorating health he had never set much in store in terms of stepping up to the plate or maturing, it just didn't seem to matter.

His brothers had been on the outskirts of his coming of age moment these past few months. He wondered how they would react to the news that he had married Rose and how they would feel when he exposed his condition. Those weren't the kind of secrets brothers kept form one another and despite everything, they had helped him get through a rough time.

Determination was his ally for the moment. Graduation was a year away and with luck he would sit at his own commencement and look towards whatever of his life was left to live. Rose shifted in the seat next to him, her hand sneaking across the space between them to hover over his for a moment before he allowed her to intertwine their hands.

She had really changed the way he looked at things, the way he existed in this world. The problem with changing things is that something has to give in order to get. Her family was a devout, worshipping picture of perfection while his was a collage of broken dreams and low expectations. When they arrived at his fraternity house he brought her with him, unsure when the true collision of their worlds would hit but prepared to spend as much time as he could with her before it did.

Prior to even the scene at Roses parents' house, he should have known today was going to be a bad day. There was a dull ache covering his face, the feverish pulse at his temples making his head spin. Lying over the side of the bed with his head down, he turned on the vibrating mechanism and waited. Glancing at the clock on his bedside table he figured the whole 20 minutes would probably be best considering the incident. This was the side of his life he knew scared Rose, even worse than his party boy days. There were a few different treatment methods but this one seemed to drain out his lungs the best. He wasn't too pleased about having to do this on a regular basis but he would be damned if he had to ware that ridiculous mask and adorn a vest at the hospital.

It didn't take long for his body to respond, the coughing fits reaching their peak. Not the most pleasant process, but if he could escape going into the hospital for treatment it would suffice. He had been living life in the fast lane and now it was catching up with him.

Rose sat diligently next to him trying to distract him but he couldn't get Doctor Marcoh's words out of his head as he tried to treat himself. This method wasn't a cure; it was a temporary relief and nothing more. He needed a lung transplant…but the board had already analyzed his case and he had fallen quite ways down on the list. In his rush to live life on the wild side, he had inadvertently signed his own death certificate. Go figure.

He knew she wanted to go out somewhere and bring in the New Year with style, but he just couldn't find the strength. The question sat unanswered between them, what did a young and sick married couple do? His solution was to forget everything-which is exactly what the bottle of tequila helped them to do. The New Year passed and all their problems were still there. Resolutions or not, he knew nothing good lasts, even if it had barely begun.

**(Gracia POV)**

"I know what you're up to Maes Hughes."

Maes looked up at the pretty girl. "What?" He asked in mock innocence.

Gracia shook her head in an amusement, "You better fess up before I have to weasel it out of you."

He grinned wickedly at her, "How do you plan to do that?"

"Really, this early in the morning? Get a room." Wally moaned in irritation.

Undeterred Maes laughed, "Jealousy will get you nowhere."

"Yeah, when I want to settle down to a life of dull monotony I'll let you know." He replied unenthusiastically.

Wally rolled his eyes and Gracia noted that his sense of humor had dimmed in the past week. Ever since the incident before Christmas, Wally and Frank hadn't been acting like themselves. You would be hard pressed to see them talking in the same vicinity yet alone even standing in the same room.

All things considered it was strange for her to see Maes acting as if nothing were out of place, as if he were happily enjoying the present moment. Well she wasn't stupid, she was going to figure out one way or another just what was going on in that head of his.

"You just haven't met the right girl." He argued against his brother before kissing her on the cheek.

"So what's gotten in to you?" She prodded ignoring the disparaging look the youngest brother was sending them.

"I've got us invites to the biggest New Year's Eve party around."

Like someone had turned on a light Wally perked up, go figure.

Now she knew why he was acting so excited. His solution to most people's problems was by playing matchmaker and what better time or place than a New Year's party. She was convinced it would uplift Wally's mood but as for Frank she had her doubts and for the brothers relationship as a whole she wasn't sure about that either.

"Just talked to Alex today, he says his family hired a live band and they've even put up two bars in their ballroom for the event."

Wally was practically glowing now, "Did I mention that I love you big brother?"

"Not lately, but it's nice to hear."

Gracia narrowed her eyes at her fiancé as his brother left the room. "So who are the lucky ladies you are going to be throwing your brothers at?"

The smirk widened on his face as if he were very satisfied with himself. "Did you know Alex has two other sisters besides Catherine and Olivia?" He kissed her on the cheek, "If there is one thing that captures the passion and fight of a Hughes man, it's a mesmerizing woman. They will be swooning instead of fighting in no time."

He looked so proud of himself that she just didn't have it in her to tell him that the two sisters he was thinking of resembled their brother more than their eldest sister. She hoped, for their sake, that they resolved their issues before having to submit to this particular cupid scheme.

Humor aside she just couldn't swallow the fact that something so petty had come between brothers like them. Besides be wrenched in the middle, the idea of those two brothers going back into active duty without making up didn't sit well with her. She could only imagine how Maes felt.

**(Havoc POV)**

This was his kind of party. An open bar, a reason to celebrate and a room filled with enough women to satisfy even the hungriest of eyes. Having worked most of his break at the general store his parents owned he was all too happy to accept the Armstrong invitation.

Making himself comfortable at the bar he was soon accompanied by Breda who looked just as amused to be there as he was. Havoc ordered another drink; it was nice to be able to sample the posh side of life. Back in the fraternity house they made due with the bottom of the shelf liquors and water downed beer. "Why Alex or Olivia stay on campus is beyond me. I would be living it up in this mansion if I had the chance."

Heymans nodded in agreement, "The food is filling, the drinks are brimming and the place smells of success."

"I'll drink to that!" Havoc replied lifting his glass up.

"Hear, hear."

As the noise of the crowd grew louder he made sure to check the time. "Any New Year's resolutions?" He asked his fraternity brother.

Breda snorted, "If you are referring to the ridiculous tradition of weight lost plans you can count me out. But there is something I was going to talk to you about."

Jean stopped smirking, "I didn't rag on you about the whole food thing so you don't get to push the anti-smoking propaganda with me."

"Didn't plan on it." The red head drummed his fingers against the bar looking a little apprehensive, "I want to throw my name in the ring for President."

Jean chewed on the olive from his drink trying to picture him presiding at meetings. "Really? I just figured Mustang would run for a second term." He answered thinking aloud.

His brother shook his head, "Not this time around."

Ever since he had become a member, back when Hughes was President, he had heard nothing but Presidential campaigning from Roy. The abrupt change seemed a little strange to him, there had to be something working behind the scenes. "You sure he doesn't want to run for another term?"

"According to our bylaws he can't."

Jean put his drink down. He wasn't going to pretend he knew their bylaws by heart but he knew enough to oppose that statement completely. Heymans may have the highest GPA in the fraternity and was clearly the most well versed when it came to policy but Jean knew that didn't sound right. "I disagree Heymans; I know you can run for a second term."

"Not when you are President of the IFC."

Jean almost took a tumble out of his seat, "Huh? Mustang wants to run for IFC president?"

"None of the current board members want to run for it and between you and me I think the position's been jinxed. But you know how Mustang is; if there is something else better out there he's going to want it."

"Well I'll be. You really think you can do the job? I think the president should be a magnanimous kind of guy, good looking, well versed with the ladies…you know, someone like me."

Something whacked him across the back of his head.

"Hey, what was that for?" He looked around for the perpetrator only to see an annoyed Olivia, Roy and Riza laughing in her wake.

"If I wanted to see a fraternity my ancestors started destroyed, I would do it myself." Olivia remarked dully.

Sending the cynical woman a glare he waved over his fraternity brother. "Been holding out on me. Heymans tells me our very own Roy Mustang is going to run for IFC president."

Riza looked a little skeptical. "You really want to run for that position?"

Roy held his head up a little higher, smirking slightly. "Just one of my New Year's resolutions, dominate the Greek world."

Havoc exchanged a look with Breda before shrugging, "He can't be worse than Kimbley."

**(Riza POV)**

She was grateful that he cared, but the more he goaded her about the upcoming election the more cross she was becoming with him. Olivia had already pressed her for a letter of intent and her position as Executive Vice President was clearly a stepping stone for president. But in the realm of things that should be, she wondered why no one had even bothered to ask her what _she_ wanted.

"I don't know if I want to be president." She stated simply.

He looked stunned and it made her feel cowardly for even mentioning it.

"Riza, you are the best candidate for the position. Listen if you're nervous about running I can almost guarantee your chapter is going to vote 100% in your favor. Relax; this is something I'm good at."

Sometimes she wondered if he ever actually listened to her. "That's not it. I'm nervous about my class schedule for next semester; I really don't think I'm going to have time to devote to being President."

Why Roy looked exasperated she had no idea, it wasn't his life to decide for. "You're saying you would rather sit back and watch from the sidelines?"

"I think I will be more of a use to my chapter as a member than as a leader." She proposed.

"You do realize that leadership positions are golden on any resume."

"I'm not an idiot." She fired back; angered that he was going to fight her on this.

"Sounds more like a cop out."

She thought about Professor Raven and the way she had let him walk all over her. How long had she been letting others decide what was best for her?

"Drop it."

Roy pierced her with those dark eyes of his but she kept her stance. "Something's bugging you that you aren't telling me."

"It's nothing." And it would remain nothing because she was a big girl and she could handle things by herself.

He touched her cheek, caressing the strands of hair that had slipped out of her updo. "Right, and when this nothing turns into something are you still going to pretend everything's ok?"

She heard herself say no, but a part of her knew she was already keeping secrets from him. The pressure had never gotten to her before but there were cracks in her façade and some people just knew where to pick.

**(Franklin Hughes POV)**

Breathing heavily, he bent over in the wake of his exertion, his hand resting over his heart as if to calm it merely by touch. His youngest brother joined him seconds later looking just as winded. They both stared at each other before Wally cracked a smile and they were both laughing so hard the people around them were starting to stare.

"I thought it was Alex until I noticed there was three of him." Wally admitted looking torn between horror and humor.

"If Amue and Strongine didn't have cleavage I don't think I could have told the difference." He offered weakly as he succumbed to another roar of laughter.

"And the hair, don't forget the long hair." His younger brother inserted.

The two of them began to come down from their high, the merriment slowly dying on their lips.

"What was Maes thinking trying to set us up with those two?"

Frank knew both of his brothers well enough to know the answer to that question. "It's Maes, of course he's going to try to set us up. He is about the only sane man alive who believes love heals all."

That seemed to sober his younger brother up a bit, "So you're saying he patched us up with those two out of love?"

The humor was still there, but it reminded him of how lucky he was to have brothers like his. He was feeling pretty guilty about what he had done. "I owe you an apology for what happened." It didn't feel good to admit what he had done, but he missed his younger brother and he didn't want things to stay like this.

Wally had never been one for the serious talks but even he looked solemn at the change in conversation. "I just don't get it, what changed between us?"

Everything, everything had changed but it should have never resulted in this. "Seeing humanity at its worst, its takes something away from you. When we came home you acted like nothing had changed…and for that moment I hated you for being able to pretend like things really could go back to the way they were."

Wally frowned, his grave expression foreign on such a characteristically happy guy. "You think I didn't spend my time in training hearing about the deaths and feeling scared shitless that one day I was going to hear your name? That's why I make jokes, because I don't want to spend what little time we might have as a family thinking about that shit. I thought you knew?"

He nodded feeling foolish for having to listen to wisdom from his youngest brother, "I'm sorry."

"Yeah, well you can make it up to me."

"How's that?"

Walter grinned from ear to ear, "I think our brother has the right idea."

Frank shuddered, "You're not still thinking about the Armstrong girls are you?" Olivia was a looker but it seemed her two younger sisters were apples that had fallen from the wrong side of the tree.

"No, I'm thinking about those two girls headed to the bar."

He hooked his arm around his brother's neck and ruffled his hair. "That's the spirit!"

Wally laughed as he escaped his brother's affections. "Dibs on the blonde!"

**(Alex Armstrong POV)**

The night had started off brilliantly when Maes had introduced his two brothers to his darling sisters. He had been quite confident in a match and had nearly swooned at the idea that his fraternity brother's real brothers might be his brothers…oh what a match! Funny, the brothers were now talking to two other girls and his sisters were nowhere to be found. Hmm, it couldn't possibly be their fault. He would have to gently break it to Maes that his sisters were not interested. Feeling his spirit dampen he found himself subconsciously looking for someone. Maybe if he didn't invite someone he wouldn't have had the reason to look, but he had and now that his attention was free it didn't take long. It was easy to spot the person he had been thinking of; the man in question had just walked through the arch into the ballroom.

His hair was slicked back, the jerry curl in front drawing attention to his striking stare. Alex noticed him from across the room, his dress pants matched with a dress shirt unbuttoned several notches down. The man ran a hand down one of his black suspenders, his coat thrown carelessly over his back by his other hand. It was dangerous the way he was eyeing the sculpted boy as if he were attainable. The dark eye liner marked the narrowed slits in his direction, the lips shining slightly as they curled up in a smirk.

It was minutes until midnight when a hand reached out and pulled him away from the dancing bodies and live band. He was startled at first but followed into the intrigue without hesitation once he saw who it was. There was no way to tell where this was going, but he didn't want it to stop just yet.

It had started off as a compare and contrast sort of infatuation between himself and Garfiel. His interest was piqued when he juxtaposed their personalities. A friendship had never really sprung up between them, more of a curiosity on his part. They had met at the gym and from there he had been taken by the man's eccentricities and buoyant mannerisms. He had convinced himself that the invitation to his family's New Year's Eve party was based solely on friendship, but since they were not close friends he wasn't sure how long he could hide behind that excuse.

The hallway was deserted and would be for some time. With the party in full swing back in the large ballroom he knew no one would disturb them here.

Feeling the need to break the silence he smiled politely. "Pleasant evening, isn't it?"

"Hmm yes." Garfiel agreed, his lips pressed together, a thoughtful expression on his face.

Alex could hear the distant chanting countdown in the background but his attention was focused elsewhere. Garfiel was a good ten years his senior. Perhaps there was something to be said of age and experience; the dark haired man smirked at him like he knew what was to come. Then again maybe Alex did too because when the rest of the world was screaming Happy New Year he was kissing someone he shouldn't be.

His eyes closed and his hands sought to grab on to something, to hold onto something he knew wasn't going to last. The sound of giggling sent him flying backwards, his eyes wide at the realization of just what he had been doing. The dark haired man was staring at him, but he was looking at the blonde girl that had run past the end of the hallway, disappearing out of sight. Had she seen?

Chest heaving he leaned a hand against the wall, what did this mean?

A hand stroked down his arm making goose bumps rise to the surface. "Relax big boy, it was just a kiss."

He had a fleeting sensation of wanting to pull him back, but his indecision kept him frozen in place. Did kissing a guy mean he was…did that make him a bad person? It must be the Champaign talking.

Garfiel sauntered back to the party as if the world kept on turning despite that moment in time. Fixing his suit jacket he steadied his nerves and followed suit. No need to make a fuss over a kiss, right?

**(Ed POV)**

They weren't sitting around a campfire singing songs of friendship but their relationship had improved since the day on the hill. It was enough that the tension around the house had dulled to a tolerable level. Now it was New Year's Eve and despite his protests, he had been corralled into attending a party with the rest of them at the towns oldest bar and tavern. Just one look around and he could tell that this was probably half the population of Resembool and it still wasn't all that many people.

Hohenheim and Pinako had disappeared early in the night towards the older crowd and were now lost into a few rounds of blackjack. Currently Al was the center of both his and Winry's attention. Ed still couldn't believe it and one look at Winry confirmed that she couldn't either. Al had already danced with almost every girl there and was now accompanied by a pretty redhead whose face was blushing hard enough to match her hair.

Feeling a little outdone by his brother he decided to push away his insecurities and ask Winry to dance. He still did owe her at least one dance.

Standing up he offered her his hand.

"What?" She asked glancing from his hand and back at him again.

Feeling the heat rise in his cheeks he stared right back at her. "Well, do you want to dance or not?"

She rolled her eyes, "Always the charmer." But even with the sarcastic answer she was already pushing her chair back and rising to her feet.

There was a sense of formality and grace involved in dancing, neither of which Ed was accustomed. He wasn't sure what to do with his hands, but she coaxed him gently into the right place. Planting his palms against her hips she reached around his neck and with an ease of which he had never seen she fell into step with the music. They swayed to the slow beat, her head eventually leaning on his shoulder. "See." She spoke, her breath tickling his ear. "This isn't so bad, right?"

He wanted to argue that dancing was still not high on his list of favorite things to do, but having a reason to keep her close pushed it up a few notches.

It wasn't until the countdown began that they broke their hold. Smiling he joined in at four and then three, two and he never got to one because Winry was kissing him.

Once they were home Hohenheim passed out on the couch, Al, worn out from his Fred Astaire moment snored happily in his bed and even the old hag was off to bed without saying much. His wasn't aware he had followed her until he looked around to see Winry's room instead of his own.

Maybe she had wanted him to follow her because the glow in her face hadn't diminished in the least. Eyes glazed over with mischief she fished around in her bag for a moment before retrieving an unopened bottle of Champaign.

Ed opened his mouth, feigning shock, "Winry Rockbell did you take that from the party?"

She shrugged those bare shoulders of hers before nodding her head up and down, her laughter taking him with her. Stepping out on the balcony they leaned against the railing, taking turns drinking from the bottle. He heard her sigh and tried to figure out what was going on in that head of hers. "What?"

"Do you feel it?"

He felt a lot of things just by being with her; she was going to have to be more specific. "Feel what?"

Her head fell into the open palm of her hand as she leaned her elbow on the railing. "For once it seems like everything is as it should be."

Setting the nearly empty bottle down he grabbed ahold of her chin, leading her lips to his. Heading back inside he should have kissed her goodnight but he couldn't do it. He watched her walk slowly towards her bed, the strap of her dress falling down her arm as her clavicle dipped low. Looking over her shoulder she smiled nervously at him. "Ed, will you unzip me?"

Stepping up behind her he trailed his fingers up the spine of her dress until at last he reached the top. Tugging down the metal he watched as the dress parted to each side, the realization of what she was asking him to do making him flush. When he was done he let the fabric out of his grip and watched as she turned to face him. Her hands clasped around the front of her dress, holding it to her chest like a safety net.

Reaching out he pushed her hair back and let his palm linger on her cheek. It felt like the walls were closing in around them as their bodies leaned towards one another. She looked up at him, her lips parting slightly. Emboldened by the initial feeling that had brought them here he kissed her. When her hands came up to wrap around his neck he could feel the fabric of her dress slide down between them. His hands started to shake as he brought them around her back feeling the bare skin, so afraid of making a mistake and scaring this beautiful creature away.

Her hands ran along the hem of his shirt, dragging it upwards until it was over his head and discarded on the floor. Guiding her towards her bed he hovered over her, appreciating the way her pale skin reflected what little light streamed in from outside. He thought about how close they had come in her workshop and figured he might actually have to thank the old lady's interruption; this was so much more than that.

He paused as he noticed her shiver. Feeling nervous all over again he held himself back as he looked her in the eyes, "Are you sure?"

She worried her lip between her teeth before the corners of her mouth turned up in a smile. Pulling him closer to her she griped him tightly, "Yes."

"You're beautiful Winry Rockbell."

She kissed him hard to muffle his voice as they came off their high; her own noises making him fear the wrath of the other occupants in the house. But the house stayed quiet and he was too exhausted and blissfully content to care about anything else but the girl who had just changed his entire world. Winry turned her head up and kissed him once more before sleepily resting her head against his chest.

He wanted to say it right then and there but by the time he found the courage she was already asleep.

And the countdown had come to an end.

* * *

Ten seconds was all that seperated them from their past and their present:

10 seconds-The Hughes brothers bury the hatchet.

9 seconds-Olivia remains silent as the crowd counts down; she knows what the next year will bring and has no desire to acknowledge it.

8 seconds-Havoc wishes Rebecca hadn't gone home for the holidays.

7 seconds-Kain holds Rose's hair back as she pukes, at least now he knows never to let her drink tequila.

6 seconds-Pinako stares at Winry and Edward dancing slowly, refusing to comment on how it reminds her of their parents.

5 seconds-Riza wonders for the first time if everything she has been working towards is what she really wants.

4 seconds-Alex feels the weight of his decision hanging on his shoulders like a cloak of shame.

3 seconds-Winry wonders for the first time if her alarm clock not going off and the rain soaking her shirt on the day she met Edward were just dominos in a series of events that led to this moment or if someone out there sketched it all out by hand.

2 seconds-Maes kisses Gracia before the New Year arrives; thinking that the next time they celebrate a new year he will finally be able to call her his wife.

1 second-Zolf sat in his cell leering at the letter in his hands; it was comforting to know he had friends on the other side.

**Happy New Year.**

_"Yesterday, everybody smoked his last cigar, took his last drink and swore his last oath. Today, we are a pious and exemplary community. Thirty days from now, we shall have cast our reformation to the winds and gone to cutting our ancient shortcomings considerably shorter than ever." _

_~Mark Twain_

* * *

**Next Chapter: Back to Square One  
**

The bonds between friends, brothers and sisters are tested as the winter session of classes start. Elections aren't far off and while some people have yet to stand out, others need to watch out.


	20. Back to Square One

**A/N:** 20 chapters, that's a record for me. Sorry for the delay I tried to rewrite this hundreds of times but each time I ended with practically the same thing. Cant be helped and by now I know it can't be changed. I promise there are happy times ahead...just not yet.

**Chapter 20: Back to Square One**

**(Ed POV)**

There was a time, not so long ago; that he had thought it was all over. Now with experience that only time can give, he was finally starting to look towards the future. His brothers had been pushing him to admit feelings for the pretty blond mechanic since day one, and now he had to come clean. He still couldn't believe she felt the same way.

She was beautiful, in every definition of the word. The softness of her skin, the silk of her hair and the subtle brilliance of her eyes was intoxicating. He had almost done it; he had even asked if she was ready for it, thinking it was the pinnacle of his existence that he get this right. But when she did other things, when he let himself be taken by her he began to understand that he needed more than just an idea and a want. It had seemed like a pivotal moment and he had almost said those three words out loud, but his physical affection dominated.

It was their last night in Resembool and while he had gotten awfully close to sealing the deal on New Year's he hadn't taken it all the way. This time he was prepared. He was content with just being with her, but his hormones refused to let it die and by the look in her eyes she was thinking the same thing. His little blond vixen coerced him quietly into her room, the end of such an altering two weeks leaving them restless and needy. The slight creak of the floorboards made him cringe but while it might have started off awkward they fell into a natural movement and he found himself brushing away the tears on her face, wishing he could have spared her the pain. But she wasn't deterred and to hell if he was going to refuse the most incredible woman he had ever met.

Good thing the rest of the house slept like logs.

**(Winry POV)**

Blinking against the sun shining in her face, Winry felt someone's arm tighten around her waist. Looking over her shoulder she smiled as Ed kissed her neck and then her cheek, looking goofy with that wide grin on his face. Standing up she ignored the soft whistle as Ed stared at her unabashedly but after the night before she hardly felt any need to cover herself up. As an afterthought it was a terrible idea, her gran had a horrible habit of being quiet. So when she heard the click of her door she really had no choice but to dive for the closest article of clothing.

Throwing the shirt over her head she barely had time to shove Ed off her bed before her Gran stuck her head in the room. "It's about time you woke up; you three should be hitting the road soon."

Winry nodded in agreement her face flushing as she tried not to think about last night. "I'll be right down."

Her grandma nodded, her eyes slightly narrowed. "Oh and Winry?"

She looked up, hoping she could keep a straight face. "Yes?"

"I'm going to pretend you aren't wearing Edward's shirt and that he isn't hiding behind your bed. That way when his father asks, I won't have to lie."

Winry's mouth hung open as she watched her grandmother exit the room just as calmly as she had entered it. "Oh god." She moaned looking down at Edward's shirt.

Ed peaked up from behind her bed, redness blazing across his cheeks. "Stupid, all-knowing, old hag…"

She ran a relieved hand through her tousled hair, "At least she didn't come in last night."

Breakfast was a little more animated that usual with Alphonse chattering on about the pretty redhead he had been talking with since New Year's. Hohenheim looked as if he were trying to keep up with his youngest but Winry noticed her gran just sat there smugly as if she hadn't even stumbled upon her granddaughter with a young man in her room.

"Winry, mind helping me with the dishes?"

Yup, this was the talk she had been waiting for. "Sure thing."

With the boys out of earshot her grandma gave her a hard look as she continued to dry the plates in front of her. "Do I need to remind you to be careful?" She asked briskly as if they were discussing the weather.

"I want to be a doctor gran; I know how to be safe." She reminded her gently, not prepared to explain the uncomfortable details this conversation could lead to.

"You know I was quite promiscuous in my youth." She chuckled, a glint in her eye, "In fact they used to call me the Pantheress of Resembool."

"What?" Had her grandma really just said that?

Pinako smirked, "You didn't think I got my hands on this kind of machinery without a little persuasion? Back in those days women didn't have the opportunity to work with stuff like we do. I had to make the best of my circumstances."

Winry closed her eyes; no one should ever have that image forced into her head. "Oh granny."

"Just a word to the wise."

Oh boy, what kind of wisdom was her grandma capable of giving?

"You're still a freshman in college dear, this isn't the time to be rushing things." Her eyes narrowed reminding Winry that this was her guardian, speaking for her well-being. "Don't complicate your life any more than it has to be."

Her grandmother had great perception, but Winry wasn't really sure what to make of her most recent advice. A relationship with someone was always complicated, but not acting on her feelings had driven her crazy with indecision. Things might have been moving pretty fast, but being with Ed was as natural to her as breathing.

Outside she could hear Ed and Al packing up the car. It really was time to go. Heading upstairs to her room she continued to think about how fast things had begun to move with her and Ed. Things had moved pretty fast once before, but it seemed so long ago now.

She had a choice, back when she was still in high school. Resembool thrived on marriages right out of school, big families to run the farms and a series of women who found their lives pivoting around their homes. Winry stared at her old yearbook, the picture of her and that boy resting right above the caption 'voted cutest couple'. Things had moved quickly between them too, but she had realized it before it was too late. The idea of staying here, of throwing away her dreams had been terrifying. She shoved the yearbook away as someone knocked on her door.

Ed walked in, that loopy grin making her forget about the past. The distance felt more like worlds than miles. One break, one break had changed those things she thought couldn't be budged. Ed was still…well Ed, but now he was _her_ Ed. They had never been good at communicating but as it turned out, it was only verbal communication they really lacked…physically they were excellent at showing one another what they felt. Her favorite was the look he had on his face right then. It was the look right before he wanted to kiss her, the look that told her she mattered more to him than just a friend. She welcomed the additional attention with open arms; it had been a long time in coming.

The duffel bag on her bed was filled, the zipper strained to keep it together. Though he had muttered under his breath the entire time, her tools had already been loaded into his car. It was a bittersweet moment as she looked around the home she was about to leave again…maybe she had been more homesick than she realized.

A hand rested on her shoulder. "Ready to go?"

That was the biggest question, how much was she willing to let go? "Not really." She smiled halfheartedly at him, reminiscing about the last few days. "I'm going to miss it here."

He ran a hand through his loose hair looking contemplative. "I never thought I'd miss it at all."

"Do we have to go back?" She sarcastically mocked in sorrow.

He smiled, "Well I'm not about to move your tools back in here so I'd say that's a yes. Besides, if we stay any longer Al is going to have separation anxiety from that little fur ball of his."

Winry smiled, "Right."

As she followed him out the door and waved goodbye to her grandmother she felt changed. She had come to Resembool with a dark cloud over her head and now her troubles had been eased. As they began to drive down the dirt road she tapped her fingers restlessly on the arm rest as she listened to Al moan about having to leave the pretty redhead in Resembool, his pleas for their return making her smirk. Ed might have taken his time, but she had a feeling his overly affectionate younger brother was at the cusp of his teenage hormones.

**(Rose POV)**

The darkened room had an eerie glow to it, the source of its only light coming from the burning candle held in a girl's hand. The group of about seventy girls stood shoulder to shoulder the white in their eyes standing out against the stagnant black of darkness. It would have been a chilling sight if she hadn't of known what it was all for. It was a sorority tradition, one that dated back to the original founders of the chapter. A lot had changed since the days of the founders, but this particular sentiment still had firm roots for Alpha Zetas through the years. To be realistic it wasn't entirely unique to them either, a candle pass is the most common ceremony in the sorority world. Obviously the specifics of each ceremony would likely differ, but the basic concept was still there. A candle pass is called in order for one or more members to announce news concerning a lavaliere, engagement, marriage, or pregnancy. Rose kept her face neutral as the candle passed around the circle once, twice and then on the third she held it in her hands finally looking up to face her sisters. Three times meant marriage and the looks on her sisters faces went from shock to shrewd. Noa stared at her like she was seeing a ghost, all the color vacated from her face.

Holding out her hand she was distinctly pleased to show off her new ring. She didn't feel the need to mention that this wasn't the first ring he had bought for her. That plastic joke of a circle had been cute at first but despite her weakness for Kain's antics, she had been adamant that he replace it before she called her sorority president to ask for this ceremony.

Several girls squealed while others begged for information on the when and how but no matter how many times she recounted the trip to Creta and exaggerated her experience she still couldn't seem to stop glancing over at her big sister. It wasn't a secret that Noa had been stripped of her former glory, but there was something different in her eyes, something other than defeat. There was a deathly kind of fear that seemed to hollow out her eyes and echo into the space around her. Noa was quite a bit thinner than before, which on a petite girl was a little worrisome. The dark bags under her eyes along with the absence of her usual cloak of makeup made her stick out like a sore thumb amongst the crowd of beauties. Was it sympathy that she felt for her big sister or was it a hidden guilt, one she had yet to confront. She didn't have much time to think over which of the two it was before the problem came to her.

"Congrats _little sis_." Noa remarked her eyes lingering on the ring, a twitch of her lips impulsively turning up but failing to reach a smile.

Rose nodded not sure what to say to someone she had nothing to say to. What Noa had with Kain was a physical addiction that burned them both, but at least Kain had a reason for being the way he was, what excuse did Noa have? Her big sister had been on top of the world and had selfishly punished those around her into subordination but it also struck her that the leadership void in her absence had been easily filled by the new president. It hadn't been clear why Susie would take the position of president but she was learning fast not to question it. Susie stepped up, her calculating expression revealing a hidden agenda as she glanced between the two of them.

"You have some guts sticking around here." She spoke in a soft yet deceptively loud voice.

Noa's eyes widened and Rose realized that it was sympathy she felt.

"Susie…please." Noa asked, her eyes scanning the room in fear as girls turned to listen.

"Why don't you tell little Rose here what you did, tell her why the cops came to get you before break."

This didn't feel right, Rose hadn't been a fan of Noa in a while but she didn't deserve to be talked down to, not like this.

"Tell her; tell her how you've been sleeping with that killer. Or better yet, why don't you tell her how you _lied_ for him."

"What's she talking about Noa?" Rose asked unsure if she wanted an answer.

Susie put her arm around her forcing her to step back from her big sister. "If you won't tell her, I will." She threatened, the sweet tone of her voice curdling like spoiled milk.

Rose stared between them, not sure who she feared most. Susie's ability to wrap the room around her finger in an instant or Noa's secret. Her big sister's eyes widened, pleading a sort of apology that she recognized as guilt.

"She was fucking the guy that killed Tyrone, the same one who almost killed your roommate. Didn't you ever wonder who Kimbley got as an alibi?"

Tears began to spill down Noa's cheeks as she shook her head in misery.

Rose felt sick, "Stop it Susie."

"Come on Noa; tell her how it was your lies that kept Kimbley out of the police's hands!"

They hadn't been close since she had started going with Kain but the news sat like an undiscovered wound, one that had been festering. Feeling betrayed she shook herself out of Susie's embrace, feeling like a stranger in this place she had tried so hard to fit into.

"Rose please, I had no idea what he'd done." Noa gasped out in a strangled cry.

Rose paused as she watched Susie pull out a sheet of paper and thrust it in front of Noa's face. "And just so we're clear, your days as an Alpha Zeta are over."

Noa grabbed the piece of paper, the sheet rattling as she shook. "You can't…I've got nothing else…please."

"Sorry, wish I could help." Susie shrugged her shoulders before looping her arm around Rose once more. "Come on Rose, let's get you moved into Noa's old room."

Maybe it had started when she saw what Winry's sisters were like around her, or maybe it was the way no one even bothered to take Noa's side or even come to her aid during this whole scene but mostly it was the feeling of being used as Susie bragged shamelessly on about how using Kain, president of the best fraternity on campus, would boast their standings. Whatever it was, she had a sinking feeling that these girls would never truly have her back.

**(Roy POV)**

The amount of preparation he put into his meeting agenda had dwindled down to a fraction of what it had started off as. Maybe it was time to revisit his earlier motivation with the position. He had always been a leader, always had people trailing behind him, perhaps he needed to reevaluate things. Recently his thoughts had been glued to the idea of being IFC president. He might eventually miss being the boss of the place, but being boss of the entire Greek system had a much broader appeal. He never had to really work for the position of president within Beta Tau Alpha, but IFC was a whole other story. Brushing off the unusual feeling of nerves he set the tone for the chapter meeting. "First order of business, we are officially off social probation."

The repercussions of their out of control Homecoming party were finally about to end. There was a collective group of cheering as the guys began to vocalize their ideas for the upcoming semester. Roy held up his hand to stifle the excited talk. "And as you know elections will be held during the next meeting. All letters of intent were due before noon, but seeing as I have none I'll give you till the end of the day." He looked around at the bored faces and knew even a few moments of serious business was asking too much for some of his brothers.

"Is it possible to run for any position?"

Roy raised his brow at the fair haired guy sitting by Fullmetal. "You have to meet some kind of requirement, something about grade point average." He waved his hand not really caring to dwell in deeper. "If you want president you need to have held some kind of position…or something along those lines." He shrugged his shoulders; he didn't think it was imperative that he memorize their fraternal constitution.

Falman cleared his throat. "Any executive board position has to have a cumulative grade point average of at least a 2.5; only the positions of treasurer and president have a prerequisite of at least one prior position."

There was commotion as a few brothers pondered the idea.

"My fellow brothers of Beta Tau Alpha, I am personally curious as to why we are wasting time talking about elections when we could be brainstorming for the greatest party Central as ever seen!"

The attention switched to Havoc standing on a chair, his grin widening at the ideas in his head. "It is my duty as recruitment chair to put into motion something that will make everyone out there want in." He held up his hands to stop Maes from interrupting him. Roy tossed the idea over in his head as Hughes shot him a knowing glare; it was bad timing to try and throw a party right after getting off probation.

Jean continued as if he hadn't noticed the skeptical atmosphere. "Picture the headline 'back to school' all the girls wearing skimpy little school girl outfits while we dress like our all-knowing professors. After school detentions can be served out all night and of course the punishment for improper attire…" He grinned as if he had discovered the cure for world hunger. "Body shots."

The idea was well thought out, especially for Havoc. Roy imagined Riza in a school girl's uniform, the skirt barely covering her behind… and then his dream image snapped a ruler in her hand and gave him a death glare. Riza wasn't the type of girl to strut her stuff; short skirts were out of the question. But then again he liked that about her, she was an undiscovered beauty.

His thoughts were brought back as Hughes reeled him in. "Alright guys focus back up here. Remember we're doing senior slate in the study at 10pm."

The room quieted, the eyes of all his brothers looking at Hughes in a different way. Maes was a senior. At the end of April he would be moving out of the BTA house and moving on with his life. Roy could feel the somber attitude at the idea of him really being a senior. They had been best friends since his freshman year. How had it never crossed his mind that one day they would have to separate at a crossroads? His mind couldn't wrap around the idea of what Beta tau Alpha would be like without a Maes Hughes. In previous years the seniors had always been guys he had barely known, who were they losing this year? "Raise your hand if you're a senior." He asked in wonder.

Maes held up his hand along with Falman, Reed, Marcs and at least eight other guys. Most of them had been in Hughes pledge class but Falman was in his fifth year along with Reed. These guys had been holding up BTA for five years. Hell, they really would be losing some good guys this year.

This election was crucial, especially with Dean Bradley's eye trained on them. Brothers like Hughes and Falman were counting on guys like him to keep BTA going long after they were gone. Whether coincidental or not he found himself studying his little brother apprehensively. There were plenty of guys who showed potential but some had more than others. Despite his little brother's reluctance in the beginning he wasn't going to count him out just yet. Something told him that he was going to see great things from the kid.

It was late when Maes finally came in with the list from senior slate. Roy leaned back in his desk chair, his arms resting behind his head. "So, who're the lucky ladies?"

His friend looked tired, "Well Breda's letter of intent was outstanding, really, no contest for him to be president."

Roy nodded at Heyman's name on the list but paused at the name below it. "You nominated Ed for Vice President? Jesus Maes, did he ever write a letter?"

Hughes sighed, "He did, but not for VP."

He could feel the oncoming of a headache. "Havoc has been VP of Membership; you don't think he wants to move up to VP?"

"This wasn't an easy choice Roy, but you saw what happened at meeting. His priorities are not in the right place, not when it comes to ensuring the survival of our chapter. He might be good at recruiting but he can't manage all the paperwork that VP does."

"Well, what position did you select Jean for?"

Hughes pushed up his glasses, rubbing the spot where they sat on his nose. "We couldn't slate him for anything; his GPA fell below a 2.5."

Some of his guys didn't have the greatest of GPA's but Jean usually managed to scrape a few good marks. "Why wasn't I notified that he didn't make grades?" He was president; he should have heard something sooner. That's odd; Fuery was usually on his game when it came to being VP of scholarship.

"The University just released grades and it looks like two of our guys are on academic probation."

Great, "Who's the other guy?"

Maes looked at him like he was missing something. "Well, who is it?" He asked again.

"Roy, it was you."

It wasn't until later when she was sitting in his room that he felt the news really take a hold of him.

"Are you even listening to me?"

Shit, "Oh yeah, what were you saying?"

"I said I'm thinking about running for president."

He thought about the next year, about watching Riza take on presidency while he sat spurred in the background. "Oh."

"That's all you have to say?" She asked sounding a little deflated.

"I thought you didn't want it?" He countered feeling perturbed by her attitude. He had bigger things to worry about than her fluctuating view on that damn position.

"I'm not really sure what I want." She admitted looking to him for guidance.

Hell, he didn't know what to say to her. Originally he had thought they might spend a relaxing night together, help him unwind. Pushing her backwards against the mattress he began to kiss along her jaw. "I know what I want." He whispered into her neck wondering if a change in action might help his mood.

Instead of responding he was stunned to feel her push him away. "Maybe another time? I have to finish reading some stuff for my law class."

Roy felt his pride take a tumble. Not trusting his mouth he rolled off of her and pretended to fall asleep, ignoring the mumbled apology from her side of the bed.

**(Riza POV)**

It was the first Monday that everyone was back on campus and as usual the Greek crowd was out in full swing at Dom's. She had never been a big fan of going to the bar on a Monday night but some of her sisters needed a DD and she was a reliable choice. She had been prepared to deal with drunken sisters but she hadn't been prepared to deal with a trashed boyfriend. They had only been in the bar for about an hour when she realized he had already slugged down two pints and at least five different kinds of shots. She watched him carefully, trying to figure out what his deal was. Roy had grown up in a bar, he knew his limits and this was pushing it.

He wasn't slurring his words but there was a haze over his gaze and a pointed edge to his remarks. "Have a drink with me Riza." He requested, slugging down the rest of his previous drink.

"I'm a designated driver." She replied dryly.

His grin widened, "So?"

"So, that means no drinking."

"Who says?" He asked loudly, drawing the attention of their table.

Hughes shot her a look before clapping a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Hey buddy let's get you something to eat huh?"

Maes tried to get the drink out of Roy's hand but only succeeded in pissing him off.

"When I want your advice, I'll ask for it." He replied flatly.

Riza had zero tolerance for a drunken Roy. Capitalizing on his diverted attention, she pushed the drink out of his reach. "You're cut off."

With the entire focus of the table on him his face began to redden, "Don't be a prude."

They had their share of fights, but to say something like that to her in front of their friends. "And you're being a drunken asshole." She replied back softly, her chest hurting from the cold look in his eyes.

"Well at least I'm not a coldhearted bitch." He countered looking at her with unforgiving eyes.

Hughes stood up, grabbing Roy by the collar of his shirt. "That was out of line."

Something broke in her as she too stood up from the table, her face frozen in disbelief. She looked towards Gracia, "Call me when you girls are done, I'll come back to pick you up."

"Riza…" Gracia called after her, but the tears that were running down her face were far too shameful for her to trust turning back now.

Rubbing her eyes she tried to focus on the typed words in front of her, but the lines blurred and her temples throbbed. Her thumb brushed over the key before she pressed down. Erasing the last of his apology texts she took a deep breath. She knew he was sorry for what he had done, it was obvious from the first five voice mails, but something had snapped and she needed time to cool off and get her head straight. Something had happened to him, but if he'd rather drink away his problems than talk to her then they were even worse off than she thought.

Pulling out her laptop she sat with the cursor blinking as if it were a warning sign. She watched the rest of the class file into the classroom and found it difficult to put a friendly smile on her face. Break was over and school had, like it always did, returned in its sluggish and unappealing fashion.

It wasn't a large lecture hall; few students had been admitted into this course level. She might have been bright eyed and bushy tailed about being able to study at such a prominent University but lately her motivation had dwindled down to a pathetically small increment of interest.

Once the seats in the room were all taken she watched the clock hit the hour mark, she tried not to store too much faith in the idea that he might not show at all. The close seating gave her an anxious feeling like the walls were closing in around her. And then the door opened and she knew this was going to be the toughest semester of her college career.

Professor Raven set his coffee mug on the front desk before taking a look at the lot of them. Like a moth to a flame he found her; though she was the only girl in the room so it couldn't have been hard. The age lines on his face deepened as he grinned in her direction. Sinking into her seat she suddenly felt like that little girl whose door creaked opened in the middle of the night. If there was one thing that drove her past those days of fear it was the knowledge that she wasn't that little girl anymore. Closing her eyes she forced herself to breathe, she had promised herself that she would never let fear dictate her life. But if it really was a new year, why did it feel like everything was falling back into old patterns of destruction?

With it being a smaller and more personalized setting she wasn't surprised when he actually attempted attendance. It also helped that the boy sitting next to her turned his laptop ever so slightly in her direction, his elbow nudging her gently. Looking over briefly she sat up a little straighter.

_My name is Patrick and in a few minutes this professor is about to lose his integrity._

Riza frowned, not sure what to make of this. The dark haired boy cracked a smile at her before turning his computer back towards himself. She wasn't sure she was following where this was going.

"Patrick."

The guy next to her remained quiet. Raven looked up from the list, "Patrick?"

The guy next to her finally cleared his throat, "Hiscock?"

Raven looked up. "Patrick Hiscock?"

"Yeah, but just call me Pat." The guy insisted.

"Pat Hiscock." The professor murmured under his breath as if to try to remember; which allowed Riza as well as the rest of the class a delightful moment of childish humor. Looking over at him she cracked a smile, the sensation feeling weird considering the night she had had. Another part of her reveled in the idea that she wasn't alone in having to suffer the presence of Raven which made her feel a hell of a lot better than before.

"Riza Hawkeye."

She raised her hand politely though she knew he was as aware of her as she was him. She turned her computer so that it caught Patrick's eye.

_You give yourself too much credit; this man lost his integrity a long time ago. But all the same I think you just became everyone's favorite classmate._

He reached over and hit a few keystrokes on her computer while the teacher had his back turned.

_Does this everyone include you?_

Riza looked up at him but he was already focused back on the front of the room. Excited to have found someone to buffer the disgusting aurora of Raven she didn't hesitate to reply back.

_Maybe._

**(Olivia POV)**

Olivia stared around her room at all the senior class members of Kappa Delta. It was clear from everyone's expressions that they agreed wholeheartedly with her nomination. The only girl who remained reluctant amongst their group was the one person she didn't expect it from. Gracia pushed her shoulder length blond hair behind her ears looking sorry, though she had no reason to feel that way.

Senior slate was held the week before elections. It allowed the seniors to nominate girls from the chapter for each position. When it came time for the real election these girls would already have a nomination but girls could still run off the floor. Although a nomination from senior slate was considered a great honor, it didn't guarantee a win. It takes a majority vote and the number of seniors is vastly outnumbered by freshmen, sophomore, and junior members.

Gracia sighed looking torn, "Are we nominating her because this is something she really wants or are we nominating her because she is the only one who could do the job?"

It grated on her nerves that this argument was still being put out there. "Riza knows what's best for Kappa Delta and she can do the job. Those are two good reasons and let's get real; they are the only reasons we need."

The sweet blond still looked unconvinced. "We are supposed to look after our sister's best interests, right? I'm worried about Riza, she has a huge course load and I don't think she can stretch herself thin enough to balance both this position and school." She didn't need to mention the drama that was unfolding between her and Roy.

There was no such thing as taking on too much. "Listen, I was quarterback for the football team, President of future leaders of Amestris as well as Central University student council member, all while I took on presidential duties. I did a damn good job." She paused, daring anyone to contradict her. "Let's just vote, all in favor of Riza as the next president?"

As expected the girls who had looked skeptical now looked sheepish as they stuck their hands up in agreement. The only girl who didn't raise their hand was Gracia. She knew Gracia was shaking in her boots at the idea that she might have pissed her off, but she really hadn't. In fact she liked a challenge and she was going to prove that Riza was the best candidate. Picking up her phone she dialed Riza's number and waited for an answer.

"Olivia?"

"On behalf of senior slate we'd like to know if you would accept the nomination of President."

There was a clear pause, an intake of breath on the other end of the line. Had she really not seen this coming, Olivia hadn't been subtle about her thoughts on the subject.

"President…wow."

"All I need is for you to say yes." She prompted quickly, the knowing look on Gracias face making her cringe. If Riza said no they would be forced to push someone incompetent into the position, a risk she wasn't willing to take.

"You really think I'm the best candidate?"

Olivia knew she had the patience of a three year old, why did people forget this? "I called you didn't I?"

"Ok."

Sitting up straighter she held the phone closer to her ear determined to get this, "You accept our nomination then?"

"I guess I do."

Olivia smirked, "Good." Hanging up she raised her eyebrows, "One position down, and ten to go."

It was a little past midnight by the time they had read all the letters of intent and voted on the remaining positions; including the intriguing but pleasing letter she had received from her little sister. The well written and strong character of the letter had wowed the sisters and even given them enough of an incentive to nominate her for a higher position than what she had asked for. The position of Vice President of Service needed someone dedicated and Olivia secretly had plans to guide her young prodigy straight to presidency one day.

"You look smug; whose ego did you trample over today?"

She was in too damn good of a mood to let him get her fired up. "I just ensured the continued prosperity of the soon to be best sorority on campus. What did you do today?"

Miles chuckled, his easy going nature a stark contrast to her own. "We ran preliminaries. Looks like Tommy Henschel is going to be the next president. You know I had a feeling that I might miss this but the more I think about it the less I think I'm going to. I think my work really is done here."

He was taking all of this very valiantly but somewhere deep inside _her_ pride she didn't agree. In fact a big part of her didn't want to give up the title. "Hmm..."

Miles rubbed her shoulders before wrapping his arms tightly around her. He pulled her back up against him, enjoying the smell of her hair as he rested his chin on her shoulder. "Time to move on to bigger and better things."

That tiny bit of panic that had blossomed was squashed back down by the ease of his embrace. He had a way of bringing her back down. But even as his added warmth spread through her the distant thoughts of what might happen kept close by. Giving up her position as president was one thing, giving up her life here in Central was a complete other. "Bigger and better suits my family best I guess."

She felt his lips press against her cheek, "I can agree with the better."

Happy, that was the word she thought of when he acted like loving her was the most natural thing in the world.

"In less than a year we'll be calling Briggs our home and you'll be intimidating the hell out of Drachman soldiers." He added with a laugh.

Briggs, the thought of going there had once driven her forward through everything. So why did the idea now make her so unsure, why did leaving Central suddenly make her feel so lost? Miles kissed her cheek, the feeling of his lips lingering on her skin long after he had pulled away.

"I want to be a president of this country one day." She decided in a matter-of-fact tone; as if it had long since been decided. Maybe it was more of a declaration to remind her of where she _needed_ to be one day.

The arms around her waist tightened as his breath tickled her throat. "I suppose the country is ready for a woman to be president, but how would they feel about an Ishvalan first gentlemen?"

She turned in his arms and poked him in the chest with her index finger, "I would weed out all the ignorant people who would care."

"You would do that for me?" He asked in awe.

He was probably joking around but she was being completely serious. "There's no room left in this world for people who think like that."

A silly grin played across his features, "Is that your way of saying you would stand up for me?"

"Yes." She answered, a little intimidated by how soft and sincere that word came out as.

**(Alex POV)**

Alex sat on the edge of the mattress, his face in his hands. Something was deeply wrong with him and the longer he thought about it, the worse it looked. The bed creaked as the person behind him shifted in their sleep. Standing up he pulled on his pants in haste and pushed his arms into his jacket, forgetting about his shirt altogether. Feeling cowardly he didn't even bother to write a note, though he was sure the man wasn't expecting one.

His skin felt dirty, his chest filling with panic as he thought about what he had done. It had started off so innocently at New Year's…but this wasn't so innocent anymore. He had always taken great pride in his appearance so he wasn't entirely surprised by the looks that greeted him as he walked into the Beta Tau house looking like the party from the night before.

He had been planning to make a discreet entrance but to be fair he had never been good at things like that. The boys noticed and the urge to spill his secrets flooded him like a raging river.

Havoc whistled low, his reaction spawning a few wolf whistles that made him conscious in a way his brothers attentions had never done before. Falman even woke up from his sleeping spot in the center of the room on the carpeted floor.

"Don't hold out on us, who was it?" Breda asked from his position on the couch.

Palms sweaty he thought about the feeling of strong hands gripping his sides, the rough stubble of a man's chin making his mouth feel raw and exposed. His painfully clear memories rocked him as he tried to explain in front of his expectant brothers. They were expecting his disheveled appearance meant he had been with someone, but he could only imagine their horror if they knew it hadn't been a girl. It was probably a mix of his fears and being put on the spot that kick started this lie, a lie that had been welling up in his throat the whole time.

Feeling dirtier than before he just smiled and walked upstairs; leaving his brothers to concoct a series of lies for him.

The scalding water made his skin burn, but no matter how hard he scrubbed he couldn't get rid of this feeling. He had never felt so wonderful and so utterly shameful at the same time. Leaning his head into the streaming water he felt the tears fall down his face, each one pulling another with it. It was terrifying to think of what would happen if this secret got out. His family, Greek and blood related, how in the world would they ever be able to accept this? Even worse, how could _he_ ever accept this?

He spent an extra hour in the gym pushing out all of his frustrations on the metal bars and stacks of weights. It wasn't until later in the day that his phone lit up with a name that left him unsettled enough that he managed to answer.

"Should I be offended that you didn't wake me up before you left, or should I be pleased that in your rush you seemed to have forgotten your shirt?"

Alex shut the door to his room, locking it behind him before answering. "I've never done this before." He admitted feeling shamefaced all over again.

There was a tittering laugh that he resisted admiring. "Well I've never had anyone quite like you either."

"You mean that was your first time with a…well you know-"

"A man?" The voice asked softly.

"Yes." He managed to answer.

The same sweet laughter filled the line. "Oh no honey, that wasn't my first time."

Embarrassment flushed his cheeks, "It wasn't? But you said-"

"I said I've never had anyone quite like _you_, not that I'd never had anyone in general."

Was that a compliment? Should he have cared if it was? "I can't do this."

There was silence on the other end and he had to admit, he was afraid Garfiel had hung up on him. "Hello?"

"I heard you." The older man sighed loudly. "Well, when you're ready you just give me a call."

"I won't be calling." He protested weakly.

"You will, when you're ready."

The choice was on his shoulders but for once he wanted someone to tell him what to do. "Why do you care?"

"You're confused and scared, trust me, I've been there. I know I could have used someone's help when I figured it all out. You just take your time big boy, I've got patience."

Alex hung his head miserably, since when had following his heart been the wrong thing to do?

It was late when he went downstairs to grab something to ease his frustrations. Someone was up, their body hunched over the handcrafted mini bar. Turning on the light he watched the figure whirl around.

Roy frowned, the drink in his hands almost empty. "Come to chew me out too?" He asked coldly.

Alex jumped, not expecting such a response. "No, just need a drink." He replied back sadly.

He watched as his brother ease up, his attitude doing a 180. "What could you possibly need to drink away?"

Alex took out a beer and began to sip. "I could ask you the same thing."

"You mean you didn't hear?"

Was he really that absent minded he had missed something about one of his dear brothers? "What did I miss?"

Mustang chuckled darkly, "I'm on academic probation which means I can't run for IFC president."

The cheap beer had a lingering aftertaste that made him feel worse than before. Setting it down, he looked at his brother. "Well, your cumulative GPA is still high right?"

"What the hell does that matter?" Roy responded hotly.

Misguided anger; always a symptom of deeper problems. He could identify with the sentiment, though he wasn't as prone to confrontation as Roy seemed to be. "If it's just your semester GPA that was poor, you simply need a letter from the dean confirming that you are an eligible candidate and then you are free to run."

"Yeah, I'm sure Dean Bradley would be only too happy to help me out." He replied back sarcastically as he took another drink.

"Well that explains the drinking. Now what reason do you have for looking like death warmed over?" He asked in honest curiosity and certainly without judgment.

Roy leaned over the bar, his hands wiping over his face. "Had a fight with Riza…said some pretty rotten things to her."

"Hmm, thought it might be something like that. But really now, Riza is rational, I'm sure if you just apologize-"

"Not this time, this time I really messed things up. I don't know what happened." There was a self-loathing to his words that made the Armstrong male feel defeated.

Alex gave him a knowing look; despite the best of lies, drinking yourself under the table is rarely accidental. "Are you sure you didn't know what you were doing?"

His brother frowned, "One drink turned into another and another until I sort of blacked out."

It took a lot to bring down someone like Roy Mustang but like most, he was his own worst enemy. "We tend to create problems out of nothing when we get scared." He swallowed back his own shame. "I'm speaking from experience."

"So what does that make us? Two cowards?" Roy asked sarcastically.

Alex reached over and finished Roy's drink for him. "That's exactly what it means."

**(Kain POV)**

His brothers were about as supportive as a wireless bra. It was his second confession that silenced the group. Even some of his most outspoken brothers gaped at him in dismay.

"How long?" Garrett asked in a tone that suggested his betrayal.

He didn't blame them; he had been lying to them since day one. "I shouldn't have lived this long."

The eyes that stared back him were filled with a pity that affirmed his decision to hold off until this point. He wouldn't have wanted to spend his time surrounded by people who treated him like a dish in a china shop.

"Are we talking days here?"

Kain had known it was coming but he had been too afraid to admit it before. "Possibly."

Tom held his hand over his mouth looking a little sick. "How long have you known?"

"Since I was little."

The brothers shook their heads in dismay and for once in his life he felt the overwhelming presence of a brotherhood and the bond between its members. Garrett pulled him into a one armed hug followed by Tom and the rest. One by one the brothers, in their own way, made their peace.

Later in the night after he had thoroughly spent himself and Rose snuggled into his side did he feel the coughing fits pull him back into his living nightmare. The blood in his hand washed down the sink as he struggled to keep himself upright. It wouldn't be long now; soon the pain would disappear altogether. Doing his best to make it back to his bed, he laid up for the rest of the night staring at the beauty next to him. Stroking Rose's pretty hair as she slept, he admired the way her chest lifted and fell with each breath of life.

And when she woke in the morning he would pretend it was just another day.

**(Roy POV)**

The rumors and talk behind his back had left him in a weird funk. The problem with having a girlfriend who is friends with all your friends is that pissing her off is equivalent to pissing them off. About the only one who wasn't ticked at him for what he had done was probably his little brother and he assumed that was only because the kid had been in la la land ever since coming back from break.

"What's with the constant cheer Fullmetel?" He grumbled cynically.

The kid snapped his head back, a sheepish grin stretching across his face. "I dunno." He shrugged, "Maybe I'm just happy?"

Roy scrutinized him trying to figure out a better explanation than that. "Nope, something's happened."

Tilting his chin back Edward rested his hands behind his head. "I guess you could say that." Then as if a light had gone off in his head he sat up straight and grinned. "I think I'm in love with her."

Roy blanched, the idea of love making him feel sick. He and Riza had been just fine before that dreaded word dragged them into this heaping pile of crap. "Tell me you haven't said those three words."

His brother didn't appear to be catching on. "I don't get why it's so damn hard to just tell her."

"Love is a vicious trap, a one way ticket to lonely ville brother. Saying I love you is the worst thing you can do." He replied brashly.

The younger guys smile slipped off his face. "What's with you, I thought you'd be egging me on to say it?"

"Take my advice kid; don't fall in love with your best friend. Its college, you're not supposed to settle down, you're supposed to mess around, make mistakes and have reckless fun."

Ed looked mildly annoyed, the former bliss fading from his expression. "Yeah and how has that worked out for you?"

Roy could feel the tension settle between them as his brother looked like he'd rather rewind and take it back. But the words sank deep down like a virus taking over. "How has it turned out? I'll spoil the ending for you; all I have to my name is a heap of debt and a girl who deserves far more than I can ever give her."

Fullmetal was silent for a spell, not exactly a normal response for the kid. "You're right, that is how it's going to end. If you keep sulking around as if this is happening to you for no reason. "He responded with an added bite that left Roy wondering how much of his own personality he had pushed onto his little brother.

Ed wasn't done yet, his face began to redden under the force of his words. "This coming from the guy who once told me to grow up?" Ed stood to his feet looking livid. "I'm happy for the first time in a long ass time and it's not because I wallowed in self-pity. I worked my ass off and I'm not going to wait around and let this fucked up world tell me to follow the leader. And I sure as hell am not going to blow this opportunity. You want to be IFC president? Then go get the fucking letter from Dean Bradley. You want to get Riza back in your good graces? Go find a way to make it up to her!"

Roy was a little stunned at the power of such a little guy's words.

"You know something else? I actually came here for advice, I came here as your brother and you go and throw this back in my face? You're useless when you're like this."

As the kid stormed off in a rage Mustang simmered in his thoughts. Finally a smirk rose on his face as he reasoned his way through their conversation. Ed was right about a few things. The first of which he knew was his worst crime. Sometimes you need a good beating to wear down those walls you build up. Of course he was going to pay the kid back for that verbal lashing, but for now he had somewhere more important to be.

When he arrived at the Kappa Delta house she was already on the front steps waiting for him. Black Hayate barked happily at the sight of him. "Can we talk?" He offered like an olive branch of peace.

She nodded curtly, her short hair pulled back in low ponytail making her look far more rigid than usual. It was intimidating, but he knew her better than that. He knew this pretense was up not because she was as cold as he had drunkenly claimed; it was up because he had hurt her.

The black and white pup trotted in front of them blissfully ignorant of the stagnant air behind her.

"I really fucked it up this time, didn't I?" He asked plainly as they walked the street.

He watched her dig her hands into the pockets of her jacket, her cheeks growing rosy from the cold. "Not the first time."

Since when did communication between them sound so forced? "Would it help if I said I didn't mean a word I said?"

She sighed, "Doesn't really take back what you said, does it?"

They paused at a street corner, waiting for the crosswalk to change. "I know I haven't been the greatest to you lately. I just don't seem to get you lately."

She stopped mid step, a stony eyed and expressionless mask. "What do you want from me Roy?"

"I told you, all I want is you."

He could see her jaw clench and knew he had missed his mark. "I'm sorry." He could see that he had really pushed her to the edge. "I don't know if that is enough anymore."

"What are you trying to say?" He forced out through gritted teeth.

The beautiful blond sighed, the cold air showcasing her every breath. "I think we should spend some time apart." Her hands shook a little as he watched her unhook the dainty chain from around her neck. Maybe it was the temperature but a part of him begged to believe that it was because she was struggling with her decision. She held out the lavaliere he had given to her. It began to dawn on him that an apology really wasn't going to fix this.

She dropped the necklace into his hand. Shit, where those tears in her eyes?

"When you gave this to me I thought it meant something. I don't want it if you don't feel the same."

Mustang walked her back to the house in silence, neither really knowing what to say to one another. "So that's it then?"

"We both have a lot to think about." She leaned forward and kissed his cheek tenderly, as if to seal her words.

"Elizabeth…"

She looked pained. "I'm sorry, but you're right." Black Hayate whined in protest as she pulled him with her, away from where he was standing. She threw his words back at him "Guess I'm a cold hearted bitch."

**(Winry POV)**

Sam whistled a dark tune, alerting Winry to the presence of a girl walking up to the garage. Pushing herself out from under the car she swatted at his legs to get him to stifle his open distaste for her former roommate.

He laughed, jumping out of the way with his hands raised. "Just trying to help!"

Winry smirked at him, unable to stay mad at the guy for long. Ever since the incident she felt almost as if she had gained a big brother. Their boss Tony wasted no time yelling at them to get back to work but Winry was pleased to note that neither she nor Sam ever failed to deliver on their work. It was a note of pride between them that they kept business up for the locally owned garage.

Wiping her hands on a dirty rag in her pocket she stood up to greet her former roommate and now distanced friend. "Hey Rose what brings you here?"

Rose wrinkled up her nose as Sam, "I know he's innocent, but that guy still gives me the creeps." She admitted from behind her hand as if to keep the words between them.

Winry laughed, Sam was perfectly harmless. A little rough around the edges, but his humorous demeanor reminded her more of a little kid who had never really grown up. "Is that why you're here?" She asked with a smile.

Her roommate shook her head, her smile fading. "I hate that I don't ever get to see you anymore."

"You are the one who got married and moved out." She offered gently. "Besides aren't you living with your sorority sisters now? You can't tell me you're lonely."

She shouldn't have spoken so soon. Rose's face began to pucker. "All they want to talk to me about is Kain."

Winry shot a look over her shoulder, giving Sam the message: get lost or else.

He picked up his tools and began to walk towards the back. "Guess it's about time for a lunch break anyways. Tony! I'm taking a break!" He yelled loudly.

Winry waited until Tony's rant about useless employees ended before letting Rose continue.

Rose looked frustrated and a little tired. "I don't know why I'm so emotional about all this, I just feel like they don't even care about me. It's always 'Have you asked Kain about doubling with us for the next mixer?' or 'Why don't you talk to him about Delta Tau's pick for Greek Week'. I get the feeling that they are only using me to get to Delta Tau."

Rose could be a smart girl, a tough girl, but when it came to other things she could be downright ignorant. "If that's how it feels, maybe that's how it really is."

The former party girl frowned. "Aren't you supposed to tell me that that's not the case?"

"I could, but that's not what I think is happening here."

Indignant anger replaced her earlier weakness. "Well, you've never liked Alpha Zeta, why should I believe you?"

Winry crossed her arms over her chest raising her brow. "You're the one who asked me what I thought. I'm just telling you what I think and I think right now you are running into all of your decisions head first without thinking twice."

"So you think I'm naive for marrying Kain?"

Well if they were about to put everything on the table she didn't really feel like holding back. "I don't think you are being naive, I think that you haven't thought this all through. We aren't even in our second year of college and already you've devoted your life to partying and boys. Are you sure you are ready to commit to something like marriage? Besides, wasn't Kain originally going out with Noa and then cheated on her for you? I'm just not so sure I believe a guy like that can do a 180 in such a short amount of time. Besides what do your parents have to say?"

Rose looked livid. "I can't believe I came here to talk to you."

Winry rubbed her temples in frustration. "Rose, those Alpha Zetas aren't good people. Look at what they did to Noa and countless other girls! What are you going to do when all of this falls apart?"

"I bet your mother is ashamed of you, you couldn't even land a bid from her sorority and you're a legacy." Rose spit on mercilessly.

Sometimes people say things out of anger, and Winry knew that was the case but it didn't stop her from feeling the pain.

"Well she's dead so I guess I'll never know." Winry deadpanned her tolerance down to nothing. It looked like they were back at square one again. An awkward relationship between two friends who saw the world through separate, tainted glass. "If you're done insulting me I have to get back to work." She waited for an apology but when it didn't come she gave up on expecting one.

Sam was waiting out back with a cigarette hanging from his mouth. His lunch nowhere to be seen.

"You heard the whole thing, didn't you?"

He nodded taking a slow drag. "She reminds me of a fish out of water, flopping around uselessly."

Winry sat down, letting the cold air cool down her temper. "I'm not sure I can watch her do it anymore."

Sam put his arm around her shoulders and gave it a slight squeeze. "Don't beat yourself up too much there Rocky, not much more you can do." He pointed towards the beat up engine hanging suspended for work. "That's why I like mechanics. When something's wrong you can take it apart and start from the beginning again."

It helped keep her mind off things but she couldn't help but wonder if Rose was about to self destruct.

**(Rose POV)**

So things hadn't been exactly spectacular as of late. Her family's church was not pleased about the elopement and had already spoken to her parents which had caused a domino effect that resulted in the decision she was now forced into. It was a simple trade-off, but nothing that she could agree to. Her parents had spelled it out quite clearly, either she annulled her marriage to Kain or they would cut her off financially. Kain was from a pretty well off family, but there was no way he could pay for both of them to go to school.

Married life wasn't what she expected, in fact they hardly had time to see one another and between his classwork and her new found popularity within her sorority they hardly had anytime to one another.

It was probably a combination of this and her mood swings lately that caused her to blow up at Winry. But to be fair her roommate could have been a little more open to her situation. Wasn't getting married the responsible thing to do? Why was everyone acting as if she had thrown her life away?

Pacing her room she finally flopped down on her bed ignoring the time. If she actually focused on how much time had passed she was likely to end up in a yelling match with Kain. He hadn't returned a single call of hers all day. They were married for crying out loud, he couldn't even send her message saying he was busy? Flipping uselessly through a fashion magazine she tried to envision herself gracing the covers, a good way to keep her mind off things for the moment.

At some point she must have dozed off because when her phone finally did ring it was dark outside. Searching the covers for her phone she managed to catch it before the last ring.

"Hello?"

"Mrs. Taylor?"

Rose paused, still unaccustomed to her new surname. "That's me." She affirmed.

"This is Central Hospital I'm afraid you need to come down here as soon as possible."

Her blood ran cold, the room spinning around her like a carnival ride. In her rush out the door she didn't even grab a jacket, the cold of winter meaning little in her panic. She managed to catch a taxi, urging the driver to speed up despite the heavy downfall of snow in the city streets.

Skirting through the hallways she was finally persuaded into a waiting room. The broken clock on the wall sat frozen in place, it's hands suspended in a time that had long since passed. There was only one word to describe the aching that had begun to dull the longer she stood in the waiting room. Alone.

Her head hung low as she sank to her knees and prayed for a miracle. Closing her eyes she tried to pretend it was just a nightmare she needed to wake up form. Palms pressed tightly against one another she begged, pleaded for someone to hear her prayers. "Please, please god…don't." She begged over and over again. A nurse came over once or twice to try and reason with her, but she held fast to her faith.

Nineteen was too young to have loved and lost, too young to have experienced a pain like this.

When the doctor emerged, his surgical cap balled in his hands she knew she would replay this moment a thousand times in her head and never forget a single detail. No one answered her prayers, he was gone.

They asked her if they could call someone and her thoughts verged on the childish desire to cry for her mother. She called one sister, then another and another until she gave up altogether. Her life was crumbling around her and not one of her sisters could even pick up the phone? The snow poured down from the skies making it impossible to see out the windows. The emptiness sank in and she felt at once how much she had lost and when it all hit her the first tears began to roll down her cheek. As the doctor tried to explain she could feel the twist in her stomach and once she started to cry, she couldn't stop.

"Mrs. Taylor?"

Both she and Kain's mother looked up.

"I'm his mother." Mrs. Taylor affirmed standing up to face the nurse who held a bunch of documents.

"Actually we need his spouse's signatures on this." The nurse admitted a little bit uncomfortably.

His mother wiped at her wet cheeks. "Excuse me?"

Rose stood shakily, stepping closer. "I'm his wife."

The look on his mother's face made her feel like a vermin crawling for scraps on the floor. She didn't have it in her to feel snubbed as they turned their backs on her suffering. When they left without speaking a word to her it barely fazed her.

She tried to call her parents but it was obvious in the late hour that they wouldn't answer. They didn't need to ask her to go; she could feel the eyes of the staff on her as she sat hunched in the chair hours after the news.

It wasn't until a familiar voice coaxed her from her fetal position that she realized someone had come for her. Winry held out her hand, her eyes swimming in tears. "Ed's waiting out front, let's get you home.

She sat in the backseat as Winry's boyfriend navigated the slick roads. His brief curses echoed in the quiet car as she stared out the window into oblivion. Pressing her hand to the glass she watched the window fog around her hand print, its imprint fading slowly after she pulled away.

_"If the people we love are stolen from us, the way to have them live on is to never stop loving them. Buildings burn, people die, but real love is forever." The Crow (1994)_

* * *

**Next Chapter:** Into the Fray

Sometimes we create our own obstacles, purposely run into things that we saw coming. With the loss of yet another student, the University is plunged into new territory as its Greek world reels from yet another loss. How will they rebound back to their former glory days?

Will Roy get his act back together and finish the year strong or will he cave under the pressure? Can Alex come clean with his brothers or will fear hold him back?


	21. Into the Fray

**A/N:** Thank you to Katsumara and all my other lovely reviewers, you guys remind me to keep at this growing monster I've got here :) A little side note I do realize my chapters are pulling away from centering on EdWin, but I promise they are the backbone to this story and will continue to be but these other characters just keep spilling out and demanding their side of the story.

**Chapter 21: Into the Fray**

**(Dean Bradley)**

Walking briskly through the hallway he paused long enough to stop at his assistant's desk, his eyes narrowing to slits. The young girl blushed scarlet, her hands quickly stuffing her phone under the desk. "Any messages?" He asked flatly.

"No-no sir." She avoided his gaze.

"Hmm." He stared at her for a minute longer noticing the sorority letters dangling off the chain around her neck before turning on his heel and heading into his office. There were things that he had let slide in his time as Dean. Once seated in his chair he folded his hands in front of him, his elbows resting on the mahogany desk. He knew someone had been tipping off the Greek organizations, someone with access to his agenda. She was clearly a byproduct of someone judging on looks alone; there really wasn't any great use to her besides her charming voice which he wouldn't have to hear for long. He paged through the intercom and waited for an answer.

"Uh, yes sir. Did you need anything else?" The slight squeak to her voice made him cringe, it was obvious he had flustered her.

"Yes." He drummed his fingers on the desk. "I need you to pack your things."

"Sir?"

He cleared his throat a smile coming to his face. "To be blunt, you no longer have a job here."

There was an audible intake of breath before the click. It didn't take a genius, like himself, to know the girl was crying. Pity, he knew some students needed University jobs like this in order to keep work study. Work study was a careful balancing act between working for the University and having your room and board paid for. It was rather hard to find work study this late in the year, poor girl.

He was already in a sour mood from dealing with the press on yet another student death; he didn't have time to work with an incompetent assistant. Especially one who behaved like a child, texting on the job was simply unacceptable. With the University in the middle of a media frenzy he needed to cut away at some loose ends to ensure the success of his University.

Attention from the Kimbley story had come at a very inopportune moment. At this time they usually recruited high school seniors and scouted for raw talent to add to their rather impressive athletic roster. They needed to do some damage control and they needed to do it fast.

His frustrations began to mount as his former assistant walked in, tears in her eyes as she threw a stack of papers at his desk and walked out. Not even bothering to watch her emotional exit he stared at the documents, a little peeved that they appeared to have been delivered a day ago. Just another reason why he felt justified in his dismissal. The documents crinkled under his hands as he seethed. That damn Greek adviser was about the only thing besides the Armstrong family that was standing in his way of taking them down. Forcing himself back into a calm he leaned back in his chair, there was still Greek week. There was no way those boys could resist a good Greek week party and there was no way he could resist applying University sanctions. They were on thin ice and winter had given way to spring. It wouldn't be long now.

**(Rose POV)**

The vintage office smelled vaguely of cottage cheese and aged linoleum; a unique blend of fragrance that made her stomach uneasy. She quietly excused herself and hastened to the nearest bathroom. Opening the door to the single stall washroom, she braced herself against the sink and breathed deeply. This was not the place to be hunched over a toilet spewing her guts out. Ignoring the worn looking girl in the mirror she closed her eyes and focusing on the simplicity of breathing. When she was sure the nausea had passed she splashed cold water at her face as if to wash away the tired looking girl staring back at her. Toweling it dry, she took another second's pause before emerging once again.

She felt like a child sitting between Winry and Riza as the lawyer talked. It was her roommate that had insisted that Riza, a current law student, accompany them to make sure everything lined up. The legal jargon escaped her and she was glad she had listened to Winry for once.

They had taken on her responsibility as the widowed spouse in dealing with loose odds and ends and it was humbling to say the least. One look at them and she knew she could never repay their kindness in her time of need but she vowed to make it up to them as best as she could.

He was dead. No wishing, hoping, or praying could reverse what had been done. She thought about what he had said to her a few days before he passed, the phrase had come out so casually she had nearly dismissed it at the time. Now the words haunted her every waking moment; the sentiment lingering with her long after the man behind them was gone. _"I'll never know what it feels like to watch someone you love die." _

The lump in her throat became unbearable as the wetness in her eyes began to spill down her cheeks, is this how it felt to be left behind? The poor lawyer hastily handed her a box of tissues, looking uncomfortable at the sight of a crying girl in his office. Blowing her nose she stifled the rest of her sobs until they were finally done. It shouldn't have surprised her that he had written a will, Kain had never been oblivious to the details. He had left her everything which was both a blessing as well as a curse. The Taylor family seemed bent on making her out to be some kind of gold digging wench. Her own parents seemed determined to only broach the subject with a ten foot long pole, almost feigning ignorance to avoid the train wreck. And somewhere in between she wondered how she had gotten herself involved in all this.

On the way home she tried to imagine someone stitching her back together. A steady hand with careful and even stitches; each stitch pulling the fabric of her life back together like it had once been so tightly bound. The girls noticed her silence and let her be. The quiet dragged on throughout the ride, but she didn't mind the awkward feeling, to feel something other than pain was a sweet distraction.

She asked to be dropped off at her parents' house and thankfully neither Winry nor Riza questioned her motives. As the car drove from sight she turned back to the road. The church, which had once been the pinnacle of her existence, seemed like the only place left to go. With a heavy heart and a guilty conscious she began the short distance, her eyes glued on the path ahead.

It was strange walking into a place that she had once spent most of her days. Walking up the isle she passed through the pews before finding a spot, pushing down the kneeling bar, and resting the palms of her hands together in prayer. Now, more than ever, she needed to believe that there was a higher power, a preconceived plan that had a greater meaning to all of this. Bowing her head, she prayed for the strength to stand and courage to say goodbye when the time came. When her eyes opened at last, she eyed the sparkle of light that caught the jewels of her ring. What did it even mean now that he was gone?

A part of her realized that life would move on, maybe slow at first, but it would move on as if he had never even existed. And just that one thought hurt, it hurt like hell.

There was bitterness to her pain, a hurt that stirred and multiplied without any guidance. Who was she to arrogantly believe that they were in love, that what they would have lasted forever? A part of her begged to believe that what they had, what they needed from one another, was just as beautiful, but she wasn't so sure anymore. Because when she thought about the future she knew he was nowhere in it and that broke every vow she had ever taken.

The steps it took to walk back home were some of the longest she had ever taken. Because as she turned her back to head home she knew no faith in the world could bring back what she had lost.

The next week was a blur, a wretched week of playing a part she never asked to have. Winry offered to move her stuff back into their dorm, but she couldn't do that. When she thought of all the things she had done to her, all the wrongs that couldn't be righted, she knew that burdening her with this sadness would be the worst. She was going to stay at the Alpha Zeta house, amongst the girls who had failed her in her hour of need.

The Alpha Zeta house was quiet that night, quieter than she had ever heard it. She witnessed the fiery sun rise with eyes wide and skull pounding with thoughts from a sleepless night. Rolling over to avoid the light she knew it was pointless to fight nature, sleep wouldn't come to her now. The uncertainty of what her dreams might bring kept her eyes peeled for more than one sleepless night. All the doubts that occupied the back of her mind appeared to dance along the backsides of her eyelids; threatening to haunt her if she gave into her exhaustion.A delirious kind of madness served like adrenaline; helping her to make it through a quick shower and a poor excuse for a good meal.

She stood alone, the occupants of the house not likely to rise until a decent hour which would fall closer to that of noon considering it was a Saturday. But as she slipped on her black heels she knew that it wasn't just the hour of day that was keeping them rooted to their beds, it was the unmistakable apprehension in their eyes, the fear of what was lurking in her head that she had yet to voice.

As she pulled on a black sweater to cover her strapless dress she took excruciatingly careful movements to apply her makeup. Maybe if she painted on a face of bravery, she might be able to pretend she could endure today.

Her suffering no longer released like tears along her cheeks, the remaining pain harbored in her chest, constricting at the mention of his name or a photo of his face. The University would be holding its second memorial of the school year, only adding to the heavy atmosphere. Rose refrained from speaking, the words silenced on her tongue the second she tried to voice them.

One professor spoke, a eulogy to comfort those that survived the dead. "And where the shadow of our life lies across this earth we see the meaning of time. Someday our times will meet again and we will once again stand together with our shadows stretching to the infinite corners of the next life."

Rose looked at the shadows of the people gathered to mourn the loss of a young man. But it wasn't time that she thought of when she looked at the connection of each shadow to its mourner's stance. Even with a closeness where shoulders brushed and shadows overlapped, she still felt completely alone.

**(Roy POV)**

The bar was packed with people like him; people seeking out an answer at the bottom of a glass. He wondered how much the place profited off of tragedies like this. The president of Delta Tau was dead and the world was morning yet another loss of a life not yet lived. He was surprised to find Rose without a single drink in her hands. Of all people to have a reason to be nearing unconsciousness under the influence, it should have been her. Then again some people don't need to drown their sorrows; he just wasn't one of them.

Things were looking pretty bleak and the problems that he was running from looked much better through a drunken haze than a conscious mind. He had no time for weakness but with the lavaliere weighing heavily in his pocket he accepted his plight into misery with the absurd ease of each swallow. His brothers were no help in the matter. Hughes wasn't speaking to him, not since the night at the bar and while the others may be talking they didn't have very much to say. Even his little brother was giving him the cold shoulder, though he knew exactly why he deserved that one. It was obvious now that the kid was trying to tell him that he was in a good place and all Roy did was try to drag him back down into the pit of misery he had just dug himself out of. There was a loud and obnoxious voice that condemned him for thinking he could help those around him. Was he even fit to be a leader in the first place?

"Hey Mustang, heard you want to throw your name in the ring for IFC president."

He looked up to see a petite brunette grinning at him as she leaned onto the bar next to him. His eyes dragged from hers to the V-neck shirt that revealed a little more than was probably appropriate. She was clearly an Alpha Zeta; of that much he knew right off the bat, though he wondered why she wasn't trying to comfort her sister at the moment.

"Think I might." He admitted casually, not keen to go into any further detail.

"Funny, I was just thinking about running for Panhellenic Council." She announced with a cute smirk on her face.

He might be a little intoxicated but he could tell a come on when he heard one. Hell, he had been the master of flirting back in the days before he realized what a good thing he had going on with his best friend. His jaw clenched, Riza…no use pretending he wasn't thinking about her every five seconds.

Distracted, he tried to remember what this girls name even was. "Susie right?"

Her lips parted to reveal two rows of perfect white teeth. "You act like you almost forgot."

He noticed her eyeballing his drink and responded swiftly. Flagging down the bartender he ordered two more drinks. Sliding the second over to the expectant girl, he took a minute to appreciate the way she hung on to his every word as if he were the most interesting person in the bar. It was nice to think that someone appreciated his words and as a drunken lush for the moment, he would take it as is.

They talked about the stresses of being president, though hers seemed more to do with the incident with Noa than with any actual business. He bought them a few more rounds ignoring his limits and foregoing any conscious attention to what could happen. She was touching him then, and he fooled himself into believing that her touch was someone elses.

The following morning he woke up with a start, his hand slamming down on his alarm clock. Feeling as if a freight train had smashed into him he groaned in self depreciation. Every part of his body protested against his movements, even the leak of sunlight through his blinds made his teeth grind together. Flipping over onto his side, he attempted to throw the covers over his head when he felt someone's body lean into his. Swallowing back the urge to vomit, he stared at the girl from the night before.

Susie, for all her worth, wasn't the face he wanted to wake up to no matter how pretty a face it was. A freight train hitting him would have been the least of his worries compared to this. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes he pulled on a pair of boxers before heading for the showers. If he was lucky she would be gone before he got back.

**(Riza POV)**

There was a cold sweat on her back, a stale taste in her mouth as she walked up to the Beta Tau Alpha house. It wasn't like her to be nervous, but she just wasn't sure exactly what she was expecting, what might happen and it unsettled her. Maybe it was this weird spring weather that was throwing her off.

It was Heymans who finally answered the door, his eyes widening slightly at her presence.

His voice was kind as he stepped aside to let her in. "Hey Riza, what brings you to our humble abode?"

"Is Roy home?" She asked, almost wishing the answer was no.

Something about the look on his face made her want to turn right back around and go home. It was the kind of sympathetic wince that doctors give to patient's right before inserting a needle. "Yeah, go on up."

She swallowed back her sudden discomfort and headed for the stairs. Knocking on his door she waited, reminiscing on the last time she had confronted him in this room. But that wasn't what she was there to do. She had already thrown out a verbal lashing and she was ready to apologize. She was ready to admit that she didn't mean what she had said, she didn't want space apart. In the end she was just worried about him and wanted to be there to help him through this, no matter what it was. She was supposed to have his back and at the first sign of trouble she had abandoned him. But she was determined to make it up to him.

The sound of shifting objects and finally the clicking of his lock made her step back a little.

The man that looked out at her from inside the darkened room sent chills down her spine. Roy was a well-kept man, a guy who took an absurd amount of pride in his appearance. His dirtied clothes looked like the night before and an unshaven face only confirmed her theory.

"Riza…?"

She tried to smile, ignoring the distinct smell of whiskey that traveled off his breath. "Can I come in?"

He paused, his gaze adverting hers before taking a step back and allowing her to enter. Her eyes made a quick survey of the room, the piles of clothes and number of emptied bottles more disturbing to her than what she had originally felt upon looking at Roy. He sat down on his unmade bed, his eyes still glued anywhere but to her.

She couldn't begrudge him that, the absence of his lavaliere around her neck made her feel as if she had betrayed him. It wasn't hard to imagine the kind of pain her words and actions had left on him. It also looked like her idea of space had only resulted in helping her, not him. Taking a deep breath she found the courage within. "I'm sorry Roy."

He still didn't meet her eyes. "Don't be."

"No." She insisted plainly, bent on making him see that she knew she was wrong. "I shouldn't have said those things to you, it wasn't fair."

When he didn't speak she figured he was waiting for a better apology than that. Good thing she had spent their time apart dwelling on what a mistake she had made. "That night in the bar I just couldn't handle it. I know you were upset and my bugging you didn't help matters but seeing you like that, seeing you act like that made me upset because that isn't the real you."

"Riza, don't-"

She wished he would at least look at her. "I'm sorry for what I said, I don't want a break from you...I really don't."

When he didn't respond she felt a little annoyed. "You can't even look at me?"

His gaze was drifting and where it went she couldn't help but follow, her eyes lingering on the numerous bottles. And then her eyes caught sight of something in his face, a look of shame that made her feel like she was drowning. Her voice cracked a little as it began to dawn on her that he wasn't looking at her for a reason. "Roy…what did you do?"

He got up and began to pace, his eyes defying her attempts to catch his gaze. "Don't lie to me." She requested softly, knowing he wouldn't be able to.

And then at last he paused in step, his agonized expression finally aligning with hers. He looked like a man with a guilty conscious, a man capable of lies that were about to be set free. "I slept with someone."

She had trusted him with her life, her best friend who had wound up stealing her heart. Something felt wrenched from her chest; she clenched her jaw tight to keep from letting him know how much he was hurting her. A part of her wanted someone to hate, someone to blame for this horrible fist around her heart. "Who was it?" She asked hearing the low sound of her voice.

"Does it really matter?" He asked with a calm sadness that made her want to scream.

"How can you ask me that?"

His words began to tumble out in a frantic circus of useless explanations. "We had that fight and I was upset… it meant nothing. I was drunk and it just happened, Riza I-"

"Don't say you're sorry." She voiced coldly.

His mouth opened and shut a few times before he calmed into silence once again. Afraid of the tears building in her eyes she stood and looked at him one last time, "I can't believe I came here to apologize."

"Riza, don't go." His voice sounded strong but needy, like that of a little kid.

Of all the moments in her life where she had played the victim she just couldn't stand to let it happen again. It was as heartless and lifeless as she had always been accused of being but she could only answer with the honest truth. "Why would I stay?"

He didn't give her a reason and the longer she waited the harder it was to not break down. They had been best friends, companions to their unbalanced lives and a source of strength through all adversity. But like their childhood, maybe they had just outgrown one another.

"All we ever seem to do is hurt each other." Her voice shook hard. "I don't want to hurt anymore."

She left without a drop of anger in her blood, only the simple resignation of truth.

"Riza, I'm sorry!"

But even his agonized apology fell on deaf ears.

The next few days she wasn't sure what was worse, the endless attempts by her sisters to cut him down to size, or the concern that only succeeded in reminding her of it all. Maybe the worst was the awkward tension that had arisen out of her current strained attempts to help Gracia with wedding plans.

Gracia turned around on the small step up pedestal, the vanity of mirrors reflecting the dress at every angle. Her blushing cheeks darkened under the praise of her mother. The woman was bursting with tears of happiness at almost every dress, but this one appeared to be it.

Winry helped to pull out the train, giving it an almost heavenly like aura. "Oh it's beautiful." She commented with her hand held on her chest in awe.

The strapless dress had a fitted bodice before flowing out into a long terrain. The bust line was a sweetheart cut, with beads and embroidery along the trim. It was a sophisticated kind of simplicity that amplified Gracia's natural warmth and presence. Rebecca moved around Gracia, helping to make adjustments and occasionally letting out a pleased squeal of delight at how something looked.

It wasn't that she wasn't excited for her friend to get married; she was just feeling bitter and venting her troubles would only kill everyone else's mood. Once the dress was picked she knew things were only going to get worse. Next were the bridesmaids' dresses.

Gracia had already picked out a pale yellow to coincide with her daisy inspired, springtime wedding plans. The wedding was going to be at the end of May, a month after both Gracia and Maes graduated. Which meant the wedding was less than two months away.

Olivia poked her in the side, "Hey, you can't get out of this that easily. Come on; join the circus like the rest of us."

Riza actually cracked a smile; she had almost forgotten that Olivia was not entirely thrilled about being a bridesmaid. The yellow dresses mimicked the top of Gracia's dress but the moving skirt cut off right above the knees with a white bow around the middle. Actually, they weren't half bad, but she was relived to find Olivia staring in horror at the yellow heels with a white bow. It made her feel less like a monster that someone else wasn't squealing and mooning over dresses and flowers.

"What do you guys think?" The sweet sandy blond girl asked her bridesmaids hesitantly.

Olivia shrugged her shoulders. "Listen, you could make us wear garbage bags. It's your wedding, do whatever you want to do."

"Garbage bags?" Winry laughed looking at her big sister.

The proud Armstrong girl raised her brow, daring anyone to contradict her. "I can make anything look good."

Riza relaxed into the moment, forgetting about failed relationships and settled in to just enjoy the presence of her sisters. She shrugged her shoulders, making sure to smile at Gracia, "It's not every day that our best friend gets married. So whether its garbage bags or yellow dresses, I'm in."

**(Havoc POV)**

The party was a roaring success and he was humble enough to take full credit. He grinned at the plethora of girls crowding around him as he helped Fuery pick out a couple of songs to play next. Beta Tau Alpha had fallen off the social calendar for the past semester but it looked like all was forgiven. The same could not be said for their dear president, Roy Mustang and his halo of guilt.

It had been easy to draw a crowd, especially with members of Kappa Delta like that pretty blond of Elric's and even the few who worshiped women like Olivia. Of course having a steady supply of booze and a dress code engineered to create a rather enticing atmosphere didn't hurt either.

The bass of Fuery's new sound system shook the walls around them making the group inside look like a string of marionette dolls as they moved to the beat. Out of the crowd he found himself not zeroing in on his usual eye candy, Rebecca Catalina, but on a new and rather exotic face. It was obvious from the way her eyes followed him across the room that he had gained her attention. Her black hair sat in seductive waves or maybe it was the look on her face that made it seem that way. She wore her confidence like a cloak of dominance. The small red dress clung to every curve, its strapless form scrunched for style and paired with high heels that helped sculpt those long legs of hers. He probably should have been a little irritated that she had gone against their dress code but he found that he was rather indifferent. The schoolgirl uniform just wouldn't accent her body as well as this dress and he was thankful she was self-confident enough to realize that.

He exhaled, his gaze more than admiring. She was even better looking up close than she had been standing across the room. Jealous eyes followed her movements as she too picked him out of the crowd.

"Jean Havoc." He announced himself when she drew close enough to hear.

Her lips curled up, "I don't remember asking for your name."

He laughed, liking the coy sound of her voice. "Why don't you tell me yours and we'll call it even."

"Solaris."

"Interesting name…suits you." He grinned cheekily; there was no point in pretending he wasn't intrigued by this little game she was playing. "And what sorority do you belong to?"

She smirked, "You haven't met many Sigma Iota Nu's have you?"

Ah, so she was a Sigma Iota. Well that settled everything. "Can't say that I have." He liked that she wasn't giving it all up right away; the chase would keep him occupied. "Why don't you show me what I've been missing?"

After a few drinks and a few good songs they were dancing close, her backside rubbing against his front as they ground their bodies together with the beat. Only at a party like this or a club could people get away with letting strangers feel them up, though this girl was hardly an innocent victim. She bent forward and slowly curved her back so that the movement pushed her harder against him. He held her hip against his groin, enjoying the friction that began to build as the music boomed around them.

With the words of his brothers passing through his mind he pushed himself to play the part. If he wasn't the guy that got good grades, if he wasn't executive board material then he would own this particular talent of his. He whispered into her ear and she turned in his arms, leaning forward, her lips pressed against his briefly before her teeth bit onto his lower lip, pulling it out as she slowly backed away.

"My place or yours?" She requested her mouth lingering open on the last syllable.

He gulped back the sheer surprise; it had been awhile since he had gone into a one night stand without the added surplus of complete intoxication. That and Solaris was definitely a ten. Grinning like a kid on Christmas morning he took a cue from her boldness and began to kiss her. "Mines just a few steps away."

"Then why are we still standing here?"

**(Rebecca POV)**

She stared at the busty brunette, her red dress a clear standout amongst the pleated skirts and white blouses. Gritting her teeth together she began to unbutton the bottom of her white blouse until she could pull up the two ends into a tie. With her stomach revealed and her determination set there was going to be no stopping her. She ignored the look from Gracia as she pulled the first guy she could find into the group of dancers and began to work her magic. Two could play this game.

**(Breda POV)**

Shoving the last of his sandwich into his mouth he made sure to send a silent thanks to whoever allowed Baxter's Subs to stay open until at least 4am. After a night of drinking and unsuccessfully getting drunk he was always happy to end what might be a hangover by drinking a bottle of water and eating a good ole sub. Now he was currently on damage control.

The first couple of checks were easy enough. Check one, all items in main rooms accounted for? All lights appeared to work; TV was still on the wall and bar stools still stood by the bar, excellent. The second check was his own personal favorite. Pulling on a pledge paddle he began to walk around and poke the people passed out on the couches. When everyone either groaned, moved or swore under their breath he took that as a sign that they were alive and moved on. It was then time for him to check on the two variables. The variables were the brothers who needed special checking up on. For this party it was Roy Mustang who had just been dumped by his longtime friend and recent girlfriend followed by Havoc and his recent rejection from senior slate.

He wasn't sure if he was relieved to find Roy was where he had last seen him. Passed out in a lawn chair out behind the house where he had resided the whole evening. Usually he was the life of the party, the beer pong champion and the charismatic leader of the house, it felt weird seeing him take a back seat to his title.

Heymans was about to go look in Havoc's room when he noticed the hat on the door. His frown deepened. Jean was not known for making sane decisions while drinking. He knew the guy was from a small town and had been enamored by city and college life, but he had thought time would mellow him out. Hmm…looks like they might need more than time.

About to call it a night he noticed something outside. His mouth dropped open as the obvious form of Alex Armstrong stood out amongst the shadows, his arms holding someone. But it was the 'who' that had him suddenly wondering what other things he didn't know about his brothers.

**(Miles POV)**

Grunting hard he shoved past the tough blocking and managed to slam dunk, a feat he was unaccustomed to, especially when playing against Mustang.

Roy swore loudly, the sweat pouring down his face as they continued their game. There was a connection between emotion and performance. His friend look defeated from the start, but Miles was too polite to point out the obvious. Their little match continued for about a half hour more before Roy finally threw in the towel, pulling the neckline of his shirt up to wipe the profuse amount of sweat running down his face.

"You ok there Mustang?" Miles asked after taking a long swig from his water bottle.

A stony glare greeted his words. "M'fine."

Usually it wasn't one on one but the absence of Hughes and a few other BTA guys was clearly the work of recent events that Roy did not look up for talking about. But Miles wasn't slow on the uptake and being a fellow president he was well aware of the deep end and just who had dropped off into it.

"Why don't we call it a day huh?" He offered, feeling a little sore himself. For as badly as he had beaten Roy, he hadn't been spurred to play that hard in a long time. Even now football season seemed so long ago.

The half Xingese man looked like he was biting back some choice words, "What, you think I'm out of shape?"

Maybe they _would_ have to have this conversation. Olivia had warned him that Roy was in self-destruct mode but he had found a friend in the guy and letting him do that to himself didn't sit well with him. "I think you've drank enough in the past few weeks to take down even one of my fraternity brothers. I'm not surprised your game is off today."

"I'm not an alcoholic." He replied snidely.

Miles ignored the attitude and kept his cool. "You sure are headed that way with this binge you're on. I'm not judging, just commenting."

"Yeah well, keep your damn comments to yourself." Roy shouldered his duffel bag and looked ready to take off. "I don't need this, not from you." He muttered just loud enough that Miles caught it.

"Obviously you aren't listening to it or else you wouldn't be wandering aimlessly like this." He offered feeling a hell of a lot wiser than he figured he actually was.

Roy dropped his bag, a clear sign that Miles might have hit a nerve. He was well aware who would win in a fight, it would be in Roy's best interest to not throw a punch.

"If you have something to say Miles, say it!" Roy barked like a commanding officer.

"You really screwed up things with Riza."

His friend looked livid. "You think I don't know that?"

"You fucked up, but so what? That's what apologies are for. Have you even tried one?" Miles noticed that Roy had a stubborn set to his jaw much like that of his girlfriend. Olivia was infamous for not really listening and he knew Mustang could pull it off just as good, if not better.

"What would I say?" Roy seemed to deflate a little; clearly a little lost in all of this. "Riza I'm sorry I got drunk because I missed you and ended up in bed with another girl?"

"Yeah, well if you say it that way you can kiss any chance you had with her goodbye." He sat on a nearby bench and began tossing the basketball between his two hands. "Technically you didn't cheat on her, but you betrayed her trust, that's not something easy to win back." Miles looked up at Roy, tossing him the ball. "You still have the wedding and to be fair that's the best shot you are going to get."

"What makes you think she'll take me back?" He asked as if he needed the assurance.

Miles stared at the deep sorrow and almost painful guilt on his friend's face, "You don't need me to tell you who you are. You _know_ you are better than this, because you aren't stupid enough to let her go, are you?"

Roy looked decided. It was more than pleasantries, it was an oath. "Thanks."

He only hoped Roy would make good on it. "You're welcome."

**(Alex POV)**

It was late but both men were wide awake. Alex stepped out into the backyard, his eyes on the man who had been childishly aiming rocks at his window.

"I knew I could get you to come…out here." Garfiel addressed him with twinkling eyes.

Alex felt his face flame under the man's lecherous gaze. But despite his reluctance he let the man approach him. The roughness of his facial hair rubbed against his face, making the skin feel raw but it only pleased him more. Everything about the feminine, yet obviously male Garfiel made him weak with indecision.

They stood out back of the BTA house, the kiss still lingering on his lips while the other man pulled out a lighter. Garfiel began smoking on a black and mild as daintily as a southern bell, while he sweated out his decision. He couldn't pretend he had just invited him over as a friend and Garfiel wasn't going to let him either. He might have played along with his buddy buddy attitude but now he was getting serious.

Alex sighed, his nerves about someone seeing them in this way getting the best of him. "Maybe this was a bad idea."

The older man exhaled a few rings of smoke. "What about it is bad?"

"They are going to figure it out."

He poked his chest with his index finger. "Why does that bother you?"

"You don't get it do you? These guys are my brothers; I care what they think about me."

Garfiel looked unimpressed. "And these so called brothers, you believe they won't support you if you say you like someone like me? Hmm?"

Feeling like he was being made fun of, Alex chewed on his lower lip. "I don't want them to treat me different; I don't want to be an outcast."

"Then I'm afraid there is no hope for you, you silly little boy." He chuckled sadly, "The world is never kind to those of us who chose the road less taken. But if you chose not to take that road." He took a moment to inhale and exhale before answering. "Then you are going to spend the rest of your life traveling through lies wondering what if?"

"How are you so calm about all this or has it always been so easy on you?" Alex asked in defeat, his conscious still reeling back and forth.

The older man stepped closer and flexed his muscles. "I learned a long time ago that I would have to fight to hold onto who I am. For me, it was all worth it. Now ask yourself Alexander Armstrong, will you chose to fight? Or will you hide yourself away because it is the easy thing to do." His fingers tweaked Alex's noise. "I'm not telling you what the right decision is, that I do not know. But I am telling you what the easy way out is and what it is going to cost you."

Alex stared into his warm gaze, feeling the kind of emotion he had longed for. This man was capable of showing him things, making him feel things he never imagined. Would he really not fight to hold onto it?

Gripping onto the man's suspenders he dragged him forward, taking the initiative and commanding his attention. The kiss was hard and needy on his part, but the older man seemed to play along just fine.

When it finally came time for them to say goodbye Garfiel held onto his hand. "They are important to you Alexander; it is only going to hurt you more to lie to them."

"I don't think I'm strong enough to admit all this." He confessed in shame.

Garfiel shook his head, "Silly boy, look at you! You are stronger than ten men." He winked, "And I would know."

**(Hughes POV)**

The boys needed some good ole fashioned brotherhood bonding and with spring recruiting around the corner they needed to pull together to make this work. That, of course, was the pretense he was going to put it under. The real reason he had called for this brotherhood had more to do with his concern with the separation between his brothers. Elections, grades, drinking, and of course the debacle that Roy had created had all been festering wounds around the house and he was determined to set things straight before he went alum in a few months' time.

They were situated in the large basement expanse, the newest furnishing disguising the old space. And yet the dim lighting was key to what he wanted to do. It was time to clear the air and for some reason he had come to find that brothers were more open to just come out with what was bothering them when the light wasn't shining like a spotlight on them.

He had called for the gavel pass and despite Roy's pessimism he had high hopes. It was his duty as both brother and Vice President to make sure they were all back on one page and if it took a gavel pass to do it, then that's what they needed to do.

His brothers concerns were not lost on him, he knew a gavel pass could go either really bad or fairly good. The rules were basic, no accusations by name and a time limit of two minutes per person.

Pushing up the glasses on his nose he cleared his throat. Since he had called for the gavel pass, it was only fitting that it start with him. "I'm going alum in two months and I'm terrified." He didn't focus on the faces of his brothers; he wasn't sure if he could say what he wanted if he could make out a reaction. "I'm terrified that this chapter will have no guidance; that the Greek system will be taken down by Dean Bradley and all that I love about this brotherhood will be lost."

The room remained silent as he continued to hold the gavel in his hands. "But the thing I'm most afraid of is leaving. You guys are my best friends and my brothers; you showed what it meant to be the type of man I could be proud of. I don't know what life is going to be like when I have to go out into the real world and it terrifies me."

He handed the gavel to his right with a relieved exhale.

Havoc grabbed the gavel and twirled it in his hands. There were a few minutes of silence before he swallowed and began to speak. "I was pissed. I've worked my ass off in this fraternity and I wasn't slated for anything. But I see my grades and I know that I let you all down. I know I'm not the most reliable brother, but I'm not sure how else to be. I grew up on a farm working at my parents store and that's the only future they can see for me. My dad thinks I'm wasting my time here in college but I want to prove them wrong. I want-need to prove to them that I can do something better with my life. But then I look at you, my brothers, and I see what they see, a big fucking disappointment." He handed off the gavel slowly.

Maes looked at Havoc in a new light, it's what happens behind closed doors that tends to define us. At the end of the day there was just so much he didn't know about his brothers. A few other brothers went, each one telling a different story of adversity and frustrations, pain and suffering. But it was real; the raw truth was being pulled out of them and he knew from the way his brothers looked at one another that they had come to a new understanding and trust.

When the gavel reached Fullmetal he was a little worried the kid might just pass it on without saying anything. It certainly looked like he was going to, but then he let it dangle by his side his eyes flashing up to look around. "I used to have nightmares… after my mom died and then when my brother was in a coma, they just kept getting worse." He shot his gaze down to the floor as if he were embarrassed. "I never really thought someone could help me but there she is. She reminds of what it feels like to just live for each day and not think about all the stupid things I've done. I don't think she knows it, but she makes me want to be a better man. Without Beta Tau Alpha I don't think I would have taken a chance on being that guy, the type of guy she deserves."

Hughes could feel himself grinning as the younger brother turned red upon realizing all that he had confessed. But the gavel passed on without judgment and as he had hoped, his brothers began to dig deeper and deeper, saying things they had long since bottled away.

The gavel continued to make its way around the circle, some brothers choosing to pass while others took a moment to let out a breath and say what it is they wanted to say. When it stopped at Armstrong there was a longer silence than most, as if he were fighting himself. Hughes could almost feel the man's intensity. His knuckles turned white as he clutched the gavel in his large hands, Maes hoped he didn't break the thing.

"I-I have lied to all of you."

No one dared speak, it was another rule of a gavel pass, but he could see the confusion. Armstrong…lie?

The man's hands began to shake and in the dim light Maes could see his forehead began to shine with sweat. Hughes began to worry, what the hell could Armstrong be hiding? The guy was far too boisterous to keep a secret.

Alex looked on with a forlorn expression. "I know once I say it you won't treat me as your brother anymore, but I can't keep lying." He wiped at his forehead, "I-I haven't been seeing a girl since New Year's." There was an audible break in his words as if he might cry. The only Armstrong man was known for his vast emotions but even this was something unseen.

"I wasn't sure at first, but I'm pretty sure now that I might be…" He took a loud and shaky breath, "gay."

The room had been silent but now it seemed to stretch out, like an unspoken weight had fallen on their shoulders as each brother tried to process the words that had come from his mouth.

That was it? That was the big secret? There were some gaping mouths at the big reveal, but he wasn't one of them. Alex was a grown man, if he decided that was the path he wanted to take who was he to deny anyone true love? If Gracia were a man then damn it to hell he would be homosexual as well!

With his thoughts rather adrift he didn't realize that the whole room seemed to be holding their breath and it wasn't because of what Alex had said. There were all waiting for the next brother to speak. They had been waiting for their leader, the one who had always been the best of them to finally speak.

Roy held onto the gavel looking at it with an unrelenting gaze, as if it might combust from his laser like stare. "Pass."

Hughes watched as the gavel went onto the next brother until it finally passed back into his hands. But he wasn't done, he was far from done. He was so sick of watching the people in his life self-destruct. "You are many things Roy Mustang, but I never thought you were a coward." He didn't particularly care that he was breaking the rules at this point.

Breaking the circle he thrust the gavel in his friends face. "You owe us more than a pass."

**(Roy POV)**

Hughes was a year older than he was, and standing eye to eye he was a bit taller as well. He had never really noticed those attributes until he was standing eye to eye with his friend, his brother.

There was a lot he needed to say, but knowing what to say and saying it are two entirely different beasts. Taking the gavel back into his hands made him feel vulnerable in a way he hadn't since he was that little boy sitting in a police station wondering why his Aunt was crying.

They say the truth can set you free, but if the truth is already out there and you still feel caged, where does that leave you? "This is stupid; I don't like talking about my feelings." Running his hand through his hair he exhaled, "But I don't wanna be this guy...I'm the guy who drank too much, said too much and messed up a whole fucking much. I let you guys down, I know that."

In the dim light it was hard to tell what his brothers thought of him, but Hughes was right, he owed them something. He cleared his throat, "You're right Hughes, I am a coward but an apology isn't going to make this any better." Walking to the center of the circle he felt his confidence start to come back, he was always better with action than words.

"Havoc you're not a damn screw up, we are going to study our asses off because I know I'm smarter than this and you better well be, BTA needs our GPA's. Elric, little brother, I have no idea how you managed to snag a girl like Winry but you better not blow it. Don't make my mistakes. Tell her you love her and make her as happy as she apparently makes you. Alex, who the hell cares if you're gay? At the end of the day you're our brother and we are going to be annoyed by your excessive happiness and intimidated by your sister the same as we were before. Hughes…" He made sure to hand the gavel back to his best friend. "You deserve all the happiness in the world buddy. You've given all you had to this fraternity, to idiot brothers like me; it's about time we returned the favor."

He smirked at his brothers, covering up the emotion he had been harboring. "Now let's get some damn pledges back in this house, this place could use some TLC."

**(Winry POV)**

The season was finally changing, the absence of winter something to really be excited about. With spring in the air she was awarded with a reason to wear something a little more flattering than usual. It was a heat wave that the forecasters claimed was setting records but she had come from Resembool and this little bit of warmth was nowhere near the term heat wave in her book.

With a pair of shorts and a loose fitting t-shirt she pulled her hair back into a ponytail, rolling her shoulders as she stretched out. Bending over to extend out the full length of her muscles, she fought back a knowing smirk. Of course she knew that Ed had the best view in the whole park, it was all a part of her incentive scheme to get him to help her out and it was working beautifully.

She had less than a week to convince her sisters that she was responsible enough to take on such a high position. That and when she saw the flier for coaches she couldn't fight back the sudden urge to try and tackle yet another project. The little league baseball team mimicked her stretching, their youthful minds focused more on her smiling face than the womanly attributes her boyfriend was currently fixated on.

When news had come up that a little league baseball team needed volunteers to coach she knew it was the opportunity she had been looking for. Adding her boyfriend's name down on the list beside her own, was just a simple little selfish desire of her for them to still have time together. There was no denying that he was athletically inclined, even if he insisted that sports weren't his thing. She knew better and if she was going to be spending what was left of her free time with these little guys she didn't want to exclude Ed. So the short shorts were her little way of thanking him for following through.

They split the team up into groups and started a rotation of warm up exercises from sprinting to hitting and catching. Winry stood behind one of the youngest members of the team, helping him adjust his grip on the bat before letting him try to hit the next pitch. So far she hadn't seen him really get a hit and it worried her that he might be losing confidence in himself.

"Coach Winry…maybe I should just wait in the outfield?" He asked dejectedly after another series of missed hits.

Winry stepped back to his side, crouching down at his level. "Look." She pointed from his train of eyesight to the pitcher. "Just watch the ball. Don't worry about anything else but that ball connecting with your bat. You can do that can't you?"

The little kid gave her a weak smile before taking his stance again, his grip right where she had placed it before.

"Come on Selim!" She cheered him on.

Winry held her breath as the ball was thrown again. And then the familiar crack sounded off as the ball took flight. She didn't even mind that the little guy threw his bat and instead of running to first base ran straight into her arms, knocking her to the ground.

As she helped him up and gently reminded him that the next step is running to first base she couldn't ignore the feeling of triumph in her chest swelling with pride. She had always devoted her life to helping others and it continued to give back to her in ways she had never dreamed.

**(Ed POV)**

At this point there was no denying that he loved Winry, because he sure as hell wouldn't put up with this stuff if he didn't. That and she _was_ using her body as leverage and he wasn't in a position to say no. But despite the relatively good group of kids, he wasn't having the same luck as his girlfriend. Winry basked in coaching glory while he watched on in a stubborn jealous stance. While spying on her he was momentarily caught off guard by the littlest kid on the team. The dark haired boy managed to hit a ball? Jesus, Winry was a freaking miracle worker.

Focusing back on the task at hand he felt his patience take a dive at the sight of three of his players sitting in the outfield, picking grass. He looked back over to the group Winry was working with and frowned. From this angle it seriously looked like midget major league players as they ran through their drills. On his side of the practice field he had nose pickers and day dreamers, oh happy day.

Getting them back on task and into their circuit took a hell of a lot more out of him then he would have ever thought. Just keeping his temper down was proving to be an obstacle. Trying to coach the damn kids he crouched down with his glove and started leading them through pitching drills. Things were finally starting to look up when he caught sight of Winry leading her group around the baseball diamond. He didn't mean to stare but it still seemed to shock him that his best friend was a girl, a very attractive girl. She was holding back her stride, but the sight of flowing blond hair and long streaming legs reminded him of sleepless nights and frantic touches…

"AH!" He doubled over in pain as a baseball connected with his family jewels. His mouth opened in a hiss. "Are you kidding me?" He glared at the kid who had thrown the pitch.

Standing to his feet, he gingerly held himself, the pain still fresh. "Why the hell would you throw it when I wasn't paying attention?"

The kid's eyes widened and to his horror the lower lip started to tremble. Winry was going to kill him. His violent outburst had not only caused a kid to cry but now he had the attention of the rest of the team and a distinctly peeved Winry.

"Aw hell, don't cry." Ed patted the kid hesitantly on the back. "Come on, man up."

"Ed!"

He was in trouble now.

"He's just a kid!" Winry reprimanded him, her tone short.

He held up his hands defensively. He had a hard time with confrontation. "Yeah well he's gotta learn to grow up someday!"

"He's only seven years old, someday is in like eight years." Winry replied dryly. "What did you do to him?"

"I didn't do anything!" He protested.

Winry rolled her eyes, before looking the kid over. "Are you ok?"

"I did-didn't mean to hit him." The small boy blubbered.

That sounded pretty fake to him, but he wasn't about to let Winry think he couldn't handle a little 7 year old. "Dammit…here." He took off his own baseball hat and jammed it on the kids head. It was an expensive official Major league hat with the signatures of Ricky Howard and Aaron Pardy on it.

Like turning off a faucet, the tears were gone and the kid was happily running back to the field to pick grass. Only now, he had in his possession both Ed's dignity and his cap. He was about to tell Winry this just wasn't his thing when he felt her hand reach over and squeeze his, her voice tickling his ear as she leaned over. "You're impossible." She sighed, "Thank you."

Pessimism had always had its place in his personality, but Winry had a way of turning the tables on him. She stood for something, someone he knew in the back of his head he had always wanted to be. For the rest of practice things went smoother and when the kids were getting picked up to go home he was surprised by the arms that tightened around his legs. "You're my favorite coach."

Looking down he noticed the kid with his hat on. He patted him awkwardly on the head. "Yeah, yeah, we'll work on that aim of yours next time."

"Looks like someone enjoyed himself."

Ed tried to force his smile back into a pout but it just wouldn't budge. "You owe me." He looked around to make sure the kids were gone before snagging her around the waist and pulling her in for his reward.

Her face was pink with a blush as she grinned at him. "Hmm." She kissed him again. "Is that all it takes to get you to do what I want?"

He risked it and let his hands roam down her back. "That depends, how many bases before I get a homerun?"

"You tell me coach."

He turned around, offering her his back. Jumping on, she laughed loudly, looping her arms around his neck. Once she was secure he took off towards the baseball diamond hitting each base until at last they came to a halt at home plate. Tumbling into a heap he collapsed with her onto the plate laughing hard. As they lay there he was struck by memories of when they were little.

"Thanks for helping with all this." Winry turned her head in his direction, the dimples in her cheeks deepening.

Exhaling he put his hands behind his back, "I had a pretty good incentive."

"The reward of giving back?" She questioned coyly.

He propped himself on his elbow, leaning over her. "Hmm..."

She touched his face, running her fingers up into his scalp. "Or was it something else?"

He rolled over, his body pressing hers back down. Pushing her hat off her head he tugged her hair tie out allowing him to brush his fingers through her blond tresses. Leaning in, he kissed her slowly, letting the feeling linger as long as it could. He heard her sigh happily, a look of content on her face.

"If you don't stop I'll fall in love with you." She murmured.

He groaned, "I think it's too late for me." He swallowed nervously brushing her bangs out of her eyes. His hand lingered on her cheek as she leaned into his touch. Her mouth opened but he cut her off with another kiss. Despite his little pep talk from Roy, he wasn't sure he wanted to say it now.

They were packing up their things when Ed noticed a piece of paper fly out of Winry's backpack. Tackling it, with what he hoped was a knight in shining armor sort of dignity, he managed to snag it out of the air. About to hand it over his body froze, his eyes staring at the form.

"What is this?" He asked, his voice sounding far away.

Winry reached out for the paper, "It's one of the waivers we make the kids parents fill out. We have to have them with us."

"No." He turned the paper around and held it in front of her eyes.

She took the paper back, looking irritated. "What Ed? It's just a simple waiver."

"Look at the name."

Winry rolled her eyes, "What is so weird about Selim Bradley? He's the little one who got his first hit today."

Ed shook his head, how did she not see it? "Winry, that's the Deans son."

The corners of her mouth twitched up in a smirk, "Sure he is."

"Look at the parent signature." He insisted, the gears in his head turning.

Her smirk finally faded as she looked up at him in awe, "The Dean has a son?"

He was beginning to think this whole coaching thing had more incentives than he originally was led to believe. Getting in good with the Bradley family could certainly do a lot of things for them. Ed kissed Winry on the mouth in his excitement. He had a feeling that Roy's letter of approval for IFC might not be such a long-shot. The guy might have messed up, but this was his big brother and to be fair if he was busy doing IFC stuff that meant he had less time to drink and mess up their lives, right? It could be a win-win situation.

"Alright, what hair brain scheme are you thinking up in that head of yours?"

Ed kissed her again, "One that is going work."

* * *

**Next Chapter:** Step Up

Who will step up and fill leadership roles and who will decide to take a backseat? The Greek world is stirred up by the presence of a few new faces as they head into the infamous Greek Week.


	22. Step Up

**A/N:** Readers beware, the level of smut has gone up and this chapter's plot has been like a fish out of water for me. I swear I tried to real it back in but this monster is growing. But have no fear it's all in prep for the next chapter, the infamous Greek Week.

**Chapter 22: Step Up**

**(Havoc)**

He imagined anyone else might think he was crazy but whenever he saw her he couldn't help but picture it in slow motion. The overzealous grin, rolling hips, wind flipping hair, and of course the steady beat that demonstrated every asset the girl had. A girl with her kind of self-confidence was alluring and after a continued string of eventful nights he had finally summoned the courage to ask for something else.

Things were progressing pretty slow for the night but then again they had never done this before. For the record they had really only slept together. They were now walking through the park after a rather expensive dinner. He had a strong suspicion that his wallet was eating itself right now, but for her he knew it had better be the best or nothing at all.

He was feeling a little weird lately, probably all the studying he had been doing. Some might call it responsibility or growing up but he would prefer to call it curiosity. So far his longest relationship had been a week long stunt freshman year. Turns out she had actually been under the impression that there was no relationship. Hence the 'oh I already have a boyfriend' excuse that had actually been rooted in fact. Coming from a small town he knew things in college were different but he had not appreciated the angry boyfriend that had nearly decapitated him.

But he wasn't a freshman and he was positive she did not have a boyfriend. Solaris was a good lay, that was for damn sure, but he was optimistic that maybe a long term deal might be the modification he needed. Things were changing and maybe this was one of the things that could be good for him. Hell, Elric seemed to be blossoming in a relationship...it couldn't be that hard right?

A smacking sound brought him out of his thoughts as he turned to see Solaris swatting away at a few lightning bugs. A part of him wanted to laugh as she trudged along in her heels as they walked through the park, she really did look out of place. It occurred to him that he had actually laughed because she turned a lethal gaze in his direction.

"This is not funny Jean, these things are disgusting!"

He captured one, remembering the fields of his hometown and thinking how he had always thought they were sort of beautiful. "Aw, give 'em a chance, they're just bugs."

She rolled her eyes, "My point exactly."

He sniggered at her obvious distaste for the outdoors, even if a park in the middle of Central was hardly outdoors. Grabbing her hand he leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. "Alright, romantic walk in the park is a no go. What do you suggest?"

Solaris grinned, "How far is it to you place?"

Jean squeezed her hand, deflating a bit at the idea of ending it the same way they had the previous night. She was offering up something here and he would be happy to oblige but he had a strong feeling this wasn't the kind of stuff that led to lasting relationships. "Don't you want to take things slow?"

Her plump lips parted in a seductive smile. "Where's the fun in that?"

Point well taken.

The next morning was a bit of a surprise. He fully expected to wake up to a cold bed, as he had the other nights, and yet there she was. Lying with her back to him was one very gorgeous girl who was driving him crazy. Solaris slept on, unaware that she was being watched, the sheets tangled around her waist and oh what a waist it was.

He traced her spine, watching as she began to squirm under his touch. Finally she flipped over, her hand slapping his away. "Quit it." She moaned, digging her face deeper into the pillow.

"I was thinking." He propped himself up on his elbow. "You should be my girlfriend." He asserted with a grin.

"Ugh."

Havoc laughed, "You sure know how to boast an ego."

Solaris wrinkled her face, "Will you shut up if I say yes?"

He reached over and dragged her close to his chest. "Maybe."

"Fine."

Kissing her shoulder blade he smirked. Maybe this whole relationship thing really was as simple as I want you, you want me, lets do this.

**(Riza)**

"Are you kidding me?" He asked in astonishment, his gaze unyielding.

Riza pushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear, raising her eyebrows at her fellow classmate. "What?"

Pat looked a little upset. "I swear if you turn in that deposition I can no longer consider you my friend in this class."

"What, this?" She asked innocently. 25 pages might have been overdoing it but she wasn't good with an idle mind and this new found freedom had created too much of it.

The easy smile returned to his face. "Yes, I'm impressed and insanely jealous. Do me a favor, let me turn in mine first so that he can't compare it to your masterpiece?"

Riza rolled he eyes, happy that no one else in the room seemed to be eavesdropping on them. "You haven't even read it, more is not necessarily better."

He stretched his arms above himself before letting them settle behind his head. Grinning he leaned back in his chair, "I don't need to read it to know that you are stiff competition."

Competition. It flared in her head, like an angry hornet piercing its victim. The image of Roy with another girl, his loud breathe and easy movements. Her stomach rolled; apparently she wasn't competition enough for some people. "Hmm." She mused aloud, trying to keep a mask of quiet suffering.

Professor Raven actually saved her the trouble of faking idle small talk as he stormed through the doors like a tornado, his coat flying back into the chair and the papers in his hand skidding across the desk. "Pass in your papers and put away everything else." He grumbled irritably. "Pop quiz folks."

Riza breathed easy. She knew she was on point when it came to class readings and material but she could practically feel the cold sweat pouring down her classmate's backs. This pop quiz, as he defined, turned out to be equivalent to a test in size and nearly twice as intimidating. After double checking her answers she was just relieved to be able to leave class early and on a particularly good note. No need to sweat out discussions with Raven and what she assumed was a relatively good score on the quiz left her with no room for complaints.

Sitting outside on a bench in the quad she began to eat her lunch, killing time between then and her next class. Opening her reading she began to highlight different torts out of the case for her next class. The usual chatter didn't have an effect on her until a rather loud and obnoxious laugh caught her attention.

"Pathetic."

Pulling her eyes up without moving her head she stared through her brow at the girls walking in front of her. The long legged brunette smirked. "All alone Riza?"

It was such a juvenile provoke that she merely sat there, a sandwich in one hand, her highlighter in the other. "Yes?" She answered out of sheer spite. That Susie was something else alright.

Her eyes flashed like she was gearing up for a fight and Riza knew this girl would fight dirty. "I hear you're running for Kappa Dike president." Her hand shot up to her mouth, the smirk clearly evident. "Opps, I meant Kappa _Delta_."

The sly comment really didn't affect her. Riza simply pondered the situation, since when had she made a specific enemy out of Susie? Wasn't she too busy bullying her own sisters?

"Did you need something?" She asked pointedly. This kind of worthless banter was what had originally kept her from even considering joining a sorority. She was sure she could conquer a battle of wits easily when matched against these girls but she just didn't care enough to try.

Her scowl deepened and Riza could tell she was not used to being one upped. "Do I need something?" She laughed without a smile, "Funny you should ask, but I already got what I needed from you."

The two spectators looked on with admiration at Susie and Riza pitied them for finding a role model out of such a weak woman who hid behind callous words and cruel actions. Now she _really_ wasn't following this conversation. "Good for you?"

"It was." She commented and Riza half expected her to cackle like a hyena. "Roy had great stamina…but you should know all about that."

The painful sting at hearing his name plunged deeper than she would have thought. Staring back at Susie she hated that a significant part of her was leaning towards the obvious possibility that while Roy was free to do whatever he wanted, with whoever he wanted, Susie had used past tense. Cheating was cheating, plain and simple but she hadn't stopped to really think about who the girl might have been. Her insides squirmed. Her respect for Roy, even in its diminished state, took a dive.

"Oh." Susie made a face, "Didn't he break up with you right after?"

If Susie was looking to provoke her, she needed to do better than that. Luckily she had an excuse to avoid ending this conversation when Patrick came out of nowhere, completely oblivious to the drama unfolding and slumped down in the vacant spot next to her. "That was murder."

Susie's mouth made a small "O" in surprise and Riza appreciated that her classmate not only had good timing but was also easy on the eyes. His head shot up as he caught on to the scene.

"Whoops, am I interrupting ladies?" He asked with a goofy grin on his face.

Riza smiled, "No, they were just leaving."

It was clear that Susie was thrown off and with a flick of her hair she let out an annoyed huff and walked away, her cronies tailing behind her. Riza watched them walk away with a stagnant wonder of what could possibly make that girl competition.

"Friends of yours?" Pat asked, a hint of confusion in his voice.

Riza resumed eating her sandwich before answering. "Not at all."

He leaned back, easing into a relaxing position next to her. "Ah, so just your run of the mill bitches huh?"

The betrayed feeling that lingered over the idea of Roy and Susie was quickly replaced by a chorus of laughter as she responded to Pat.

Her laughter must have egged him on because he let his arm drape along behind her on the bench, brushing against her back. "While I'm sure you would love to sit here and study torts, can I interest you in joining me for a drink?"

She raised her eyebrows at the notion, "Its barely past three, what's the occasion?"

He made puppy dog eyes at her and she bit back a laugh, even Black Hayate knew better than to try that. "The fact that I nearly died taking that quiz?"

"Why would we celebrate that?" She refuted with a hint of humor herself.

Patrick smiled like they were the oldest of friends, "Because I'm still alive aren't I? And…" He paused looking as if he could see right through her. "Something tells me you could use one."

Maybe it was the resurfacing of her breakup or the slight desire in the back of her head that said 'get even'. Whatever it was she was packing up her stuff and they were walking towards Duggan's bar and grill in search of a midday escape.

After a few beers and some good ribbing against Professor Raven she could almost feel him pulling at the barriers she usually hid behind.

"So are you going to tell me the name of the asshole or do I have to guess?"

The change in conversation caught her off guard but somehow it didn't bother her as much as she would have thought. Shrugging her shoulders she sipped on her beer, "It's a long story."

He chuckled, "The ones the deal with pretty girls and assholes usually are. Why not try giving me the Readers Digest version hmm?"

Was there a short version of their story? She wasn't convinced the complexities of their relationship could ever be put into a synopsis without leaving out some crucial points. It could have been the alcohol in her system but she hadn't had much and her tolerance had always been exceptionally high, so she was going to bet it was simply having a friendly presence that did it. "He lived down the street from me growing up and we just sort of clicked. I guess once we hit college things started to change. It's not hard to fall in love with your best friend." She stopped talking realizing how strange it was to talk to someone about this, someone who didn't have any prior knowledge of the issue. Pat just listened, without comment and without judgment and oh how nice that felt. "We both have our…downfalls and we let them get the better of us."

Patrick didn't try to pry into the details; instead he went for the real issue at hand. "Is it over?"

How was he doing that? Was it possible for someone you barely knew to see right through you? She had half a mind to ask him about it. "I guess it is."

"Hmm…" He stroked his chin in an act of seriousness. "Do you want it to be over?"

"He was my best friend." If that wasn't an answer to his question than she didn't know what would be.

"Then it's not over, not if you don't want it to be."

"What makes you an expert on relationships?" She asked with only a smidge of humor to her question.

Patrick smiled, "Not an expert, just a good listener. I guess it also doesn't hurt that I grew up with four sisters."

Wow, four sisters. That explained a lot.

"And I'm the youngest." He added with a grin.

Riza wondered what she might have been like if she had grown up with sisters from the start. "Sounds crowded."

Patrick guffawed at the remark. "This coming from the girl who lives in a house with 18 other girls?"

"Right, but I also had the opportunity to pick them as sisters." Being born into something versus choosing it of your own free will could have stark contrasts. "Have you ever thought of joining a fraternity?" She asked out of sheer curiosity.

He looked contemplative, "And spend money to have more siblings? I'm not a masochist Riza."

When the waitress set down their bill she started to pull out her wallet when she saw him place more than enough money on the table. "Hey!" She grabbed his wrist, preventing him from leaving the cash.

He used his other hand to reach again but she grabbed that one too. "Don't even try it buddy."

Patrick squeezed her hand, "Come on, it's the least I can do after you helped me avoid a lonely pity party of one."

She was about to protest again when someone cleared their throat. Looking up she was about to say hello to Maes when she realized he was staring at the rather intimate way she was holding onto Patrick's hands. Dropping them as if she had been burned she could feel the blush heating up her face though she wasn't sure why it bothered her that he had seen.

"Hey Riza." He switched his gaze to Patrick, an expectant look on his face.

"Oh hey Maes, this is Patrick, my study partner." She added to try and quell any thoughts that might be brewing in his mind.

Luckily Patrick looked unfazed and stuck out a hand, "Call me Pat."

Maes accepted his hand, his friendly nature shining through. But she recognized that glint off his glasses; he looked rather like a detective sniffing around for clues. "Nice to meet you, well I won't keep you two from studying."

Riza could have died, they clearly weren't there studying. Luckily Patrick saved them, "Nah, she doesn't need to study its more like me trying to leech off of her brilliance."

At that Maes laughed with them. "You're not the first, if it wasn't for this girl I wouldn't have passed trigonometry my sophomore year."

Riza rolled her eyes, "Alright, you two can stop sucking up already."

"Well, I got a take-out order waiting for me so I guess I'll see you around?"

She nodded her head and decided not to dwell on the fact that he was probably about two seconds away from calling Roy and letting him know that he had spotted her with another guy. Pat didn't take notice and she found it easy to pretend she wasn't thinking about her ex-boyfriend. They decided to stay a little longer, enjoying another round of locally brewed beer during which they vented about annoying habits of their sisters and had a through bashing of Professor Raven before he asked to walk her home.

An ending to a strange day she found herself standing on the front steps of the Kappa Delta house with a boy. The set up was like the ending of a date where the male would dip her low in an exaggerated kiss...maybe that's why the pause in conversation as she looked for her key seemed to stretch out.

What exactly was holding him there? This wasn't a date and it was clearly the end of their time together for the night.

A slight panic began to wind her up as she found the elusive key. Was he expecting something? But once the door was unlocked she noticed him take a step back and her breathing returned to normal. Patrick was a gentleman waiting to make sure she got in safe.

"Don't forget to read up on that Allen case so I can pick your brain before class." He confessed looking hopeful.

She nodded her head, one foot already through the door. "Sure thing."

After helping her out and listening to her she felt this ending was a little short of what he deserved but he was already heading down the sidewalk. Hayate barked from inside and it startled her enough that her thoughts poured out without her consent. "Hey Patrick?"

He turned around, shifting his bag on his shoulder. "Yeah?"

"Thanks for everything."

That toothy grin split his face. "Anytime."

She waved once before stepping inside. A part of her felt weird as she stooped to pet Hayate. Was it wrong to like a boy as a friend but to admire that he had potential? Sighing she looked at her pup. She didn't want to even think about dating or starting all over again. With Roy it had been easy, he knew her history and she knew his. As her dog followed her through the house she found herself thinking about the night Roy had given her the dog. She had been so sure that he was it, that she had found that abstract soul mate. But she had been wrong before and while Patrick's presence had shielded her from her own troubles she couldn't help but think it really wasn't over. Throwing her bag down on her bed she wasn't really mad, just frustrated that she was even in this situation to begin with. Hayate curled up at her side. Riza scratched behind the dogs ears, "I wish Roy were as faithful as you are."

**(Winry)**

Sorority elections were coming up soon and she wondered if she really would win the position. The seniors had slated her for the position and she had done everything in her power to prove that she deserved it, but there was still a little bit of doubt that lingered. There were some pretty amazing women in her chapter, could she really compete? The only thing she really could do was keep on trucking like she always did. Her grandma had installed a good work ethic in her and she was pushing it these last few days; a good way to stop herself from worrying too much over these elections.

The radio played in the background of the shop, a reasonable companion for her in the late hour. Stuck under a car she kept her eyes narrowed, the taste of coffee growing torpid on her tongue. She had checked almost every nook and cranny of this damn vehicle and still nothing struck her as being cause for concern. But she wasn't going to give up, not after Tony had been uncharacteristically understanding of her schedule. That and Sam had been pulling some of her weight as she found herself tied up with coaching, sorority and school. This was her assignment and she was not about to let anyone down. At the end of the day she needed this job in order to stay in school so failure was not an option.

Her frown deepened, if she couldn't keep this job she was going to be packing her bags. She might have a scholarship but that didn't cover her room and board, necessities, books or sorority dues. If she didn't watch it, this whole thing could easily blow up in her face. She mused on that thought, her mind mulling over how nice it would be to not have to worry about working a job while going to school. A small voice in the back of her head nudged her towards the thought that while she was working her ass off to get through college there were people like Olivia and even Ed that could pretty much have whatever they wanted whenever they wanted it. But she easily pushed away the brief moment of envy; it was that same wealth that had proved to be both a blessing and a curse. Costing Olivia a normal childhood and Edward his relationship with his father.

Brushing the back of her arm over her forehead she sighed, was she stretching herself a little too thin lately? To her relief a popular song came on the radio just then, its catchy tune lifting her spirits as she continued to work. Humming to herself she finally spotted the source of the problem. Yahtzee! Hard work tended to pay off and she was ready to reap the current benefits. Working diligently she never heard the side door creak open or the steady thump of shoes upon the cement floor.

Just one more twist of her wrench and she would be finished. Squinting in the dimming light she frowned, a sense of unease in the air. It wasn't the light that had dimmed; it was the shadow of someone standing next to the car. A chill ran down her spine as she gripped her wrench tightly, her feet slowly dragging up to help propel her out from under the car. Heart hammering in her chest she felt compelled to state what was clearly evident.

"The shop is closed, come back tomorrow." She deadpanned, willing her voice not to shake. Thoughts of a dark basement, her limbs bound and those cruel eyes flooded her head.

"Shouldn't that rule apply to workers too?"

Winry pushed herself out from under the car, her face contorted with menace. "Edward Elric so help me!" She threw her wrench at him, watching as he jumped to one foot to avoid it.

"Hey!" He protested indignantly.

"You scared me half to death! Hasn't anyone ever told you not to sneak up on people like that?" The blond haired mechanic crossed her arms over her chest, daring him to defy her.

Ed wrinkled his noise at her, his annoyance matching hers. "Yeah, well maybe you should have told someone you were working late." He put his foot on the dolly to stop her from going back under the car. "You scared the shit out of me first! Were you planning on walking home by yourself?"

"I can take care of myself Ed." She shot back, not sure why she loved to rise to a fight.

"Hnn." He scowled, "Yeah well _you_ might be ok but it's the freaks out there that I'm worried about. You don't know what some people are capable of, especially with a pretty girl like you."

"Right." She rolled her eyes.

The skin across his forehead creased as he scrunched his features together in a hard glare. Dropping down he hovered over her, a fiery look to his eyes before she recognized what was going on in that head of his. She knew what he was thinking because she was feeling exactly the same way. Their fights now often turned into a heated debate, one that involved physical action more commonly accompanied by locked doors, missing clothes and lingering kisses.

He breathed against her neck making her subconsciously move towards him. "You had me_ worried_."

Winry wasn't sure why she blurted it out. Maybe it was the feel of his automail hand running up her skin or the way he had her pinned in a garage. For any other girl these things might not have been important but to her she felt so at home that as he began to kiss her she just said it. "I love you."

He paused, his nose still touching her neck where his lips left off.

Oh no. It was a relationship taboo and she had gone and done it. Stupid, stupid…why did she have to blurt that out? She had always had the inkling that Ed had the romantic capacity of a five year old. Chewing on her lower lip she waited for his reaction. He could say it back, say it back and not mean it, ignore her altogether, or run like the wind. She was ready to bet on the last two options.

What she wasn't betting on was him laughing. Feeling embarrassed and a little rejected she swatted him with her hand.

"Wah! You don't have to get violent." He glared at her for a second.

She clenched her jaw tight, "And you don't have laugh when I'm trying to be serious."

Ed sighed, stroking the side of her face. "You are such a machine junky."

Winry furrowed her brow. "Get off me Edward."

He tried to kiss her lips but she turned her head forcing him to collide with her cheek instead. Ed laughed again, "Stop fighting me. Do you know how long I've been waiting to say that to you?"

Still bent on being mad at him she mustered up her best glare specifically for him. "I don't care, get off me Edward."

His face lowered close enough for her to feel his breath. "I love you Winry Rockbell."

Pushing him off of her she got to her feet. "Ugh, chemistry geek." She pretended that she was still mad at him for laughing at her confession but she couldn't help but smile as she got ready to lock up. There was no romantic moment, no gift or perfect dance, but he had said it back to her and she knew he meant it.

She would never tell him, but even as she complained about him interrupting her at work she found the tension had run out of her. Time might have passed but it was still nice to know that she was not alone.

**(Olivia)**

It was in her hands, the verdict of who would succeed her as president. For a moment she entertained the idea of simply crumbling up the piece of paper and declaring herself president for the next year. It did seem like a noble option. Opening up the folded paper she decided instead to just read the name.

The vote was taken at the start of the meeting but the actual instillation of new officers would not take place until the last meeting of the year. Miles had hinted that maybe she wasn't ready to let go and like always she would never admit it, but he was right. Just saying the name was the first step in a series of decisions that would propel her into the next phase of her life.

The name on the paper held her steady and reminded her that it was time someone else took over, time for someone to take up the reigns. "Congratulations sister Hawkeye, you are the new president of Kappa Delta."

It had been a quick count and she was positive Riza had zero competition, but that didn't quell the extremely relieved and humbled expression on her sister's face. She had no doubt Riza would give the presidency the kind of devotion and attention it needed. It was true that the position could be taxing, but she was confident that her sisters, as well as herself, had made the right decision. Gracia was worried that it would be to their sisters detriment but with all recent events considered Olivia had a feeling that the absence of having to babysit a toad like Mustang would give her plenty of spare time to devote to the position without forgoing her education.

The rest of the election was fairly uneventful, the girls had really been perfect fits for their positions and senior slate had nailed it from the start. Rebecca took VP of recruitment, Maria Ross stole the high position of Vice President and her very own little sister came in as VP of service.

With elections settled and nerves put at ease she broached the next big topic. One of the last obstacles they faced as a chapter was Greek Week. It was poor timing that it fell so late in the year, but with the mess IFC had been in with the loss of two consecutive presidents, it had been the right thing to do.

Folding her arms across her chest she stared her chapter down. "This is it girls. Next is Greek Week followed by Greek Awards and then the close of yet another year."

"Greek Week is rigged, how else can you explain the fact that Alpha Zeta has monopolized the title without one ounce of intelligence on their side?" Rebecca grumbled irritably.

Olivia was well aware that Kappa Delta had failed to capture the title of Greek Week champs for at least twenty years. A losing streak that was unacceptable, especially when their sorority maintained a consistent second place spot. Silver wasn't gold and there really was no excuse. "And just so we're clear, we will be crushing those skinny bitches and taking Greek Week. Any questions?"

Rebecca laughed loudly, a grin on her face. "Yeah, here's to stepping up to the plate this year."

Gracia sighed, a small smile on her face. "It would be nice to go out as seniors with a Greek Week win."

Riza nodded in agreement, "We'll crush the opposition and show them what a true sisterhood can really do."

There were nods and smiles all around the circle and Olivia knew she may have to hand over her title to Hawkeye but there was still time for glory. A glory that could only be achieved if they worked together.

Riza stood up and held her hand in the middle of the circle, an eyebrow raised. It was the signal they had been waiting for. The girls rushed together, the spirit of Greek Week rekindled and a new leadership on the horizon. With all hands in they shouted out their chant. "Ooh ah, ooh ah who the hell are we? We're Kappa Delta we're the best sorority. Kappa Delta, Kappa D, we're the best sorority. K-A-P, Kap, P-A, Kappa, D-E-L-T-A, woo!"

Olivia knew deep down that there was a victory to be had; she just needed to push them to want it. In past years she had been in spring training for football but this year was her year. This year she was going to be the leader the chapter needed to take the win.

This year they were going to set the winning precedent.

**(Roy)**

It was sitting in front of him, like it had been for the past three hours and yet he still didn't quite grasp it. The concept was intriguing, the idea pure genius and could perhaps be at least one of the answers he had been looking for lately.

"Mr. Mustang?"

He looked up to see a woman scanning the waiting room. He caught her attention as he jumped to his feet, his research held tightly in his hands. He followed her through a couple doors before heading down a long hallway.

She held her hand up to slow his advance while she stepped inside the closest door. There was some chatter before she opened the door. "Professor Grumman will see you now."

The old man looked like he could give father time a run for his money but Roy decided best not to comment as far as the 'wow you're still kicking?' conversation was not likely to get him where he wanted to go. So instead he settled for, "Grumman, they still let you run this place?" Infinitely better… right?

"Roy Mustang, what brings you to my neck of the woods?" He offered with that unnerving chuckle that left his true intentions something to be guessed at.

He handed over the folder, trying to school his face into a modest mask. No need to be pompous, though the contents of that folder were about to single handedly change the course of his future. All his personal drama aside the time had given him the opportunity to focus on the research he had started with Professor Hawkeye and now he finally had something to show for it.

"You boys and your obsession with fire, strange that you went in this direction." Grumman thumbed through the paperwork looking generally intrigued. "There would of course be a few investors interested in this."

Roy smirked feeling his footing for the first time in months. "My thoughts exactly."

"I knew you were working with organochlorines but this research on polychroinated biphenyls and cholrendic acid derivates is quite impressive. I've seen some attempts at working with flame retardants but not like this. Talk with Judy out there, she'll set you up with a meeting and we can discuss how we are going to get you some research money eh?"

Both standing he took the older man's hand in a firm grip. "Thank you sir."

Grumman nodded, "Yes, well do me a favor and thank me by impressing the investors and getting some money directed our way."

Roy smirked, "Will do."

"Oh and Roy?"

Mustang looked up at the casual address. The old man surely wasn't thinking about research anymore.

"Make sure you keep an eye out on my granddaughter for me would ya? And tell her to drop by and see her old gramps one of these days eh?"

The look in his eyes relayed the perfect threat with an underlying tone of encouragement. Roy fought off the urge to call him on it, it was a well-played move.

After a successful meeting he ended up taking his studies to the library to keep his focus. It hadn't been easy but he was now working on his fifth consecutive hour. It felt good to work his brain to its limit; it was a little like finding himself again. Thinking back on the year he wasn't too proud of the how lazy he had become, the sedimentary lifestyle lulling him into a unproductive slump. He was just thinking he had maxed himself out for the day when something whacked against his head. Looking up he noticed a wad of paper off to the side.

"You clock your hours yet?" Havoc asked as he slung his backpack over his shoulder.

Roy threw the paper back at his delinquent brother, "I should be over my study hours at this point."

"Show off." His brother added with a bit of grin.

"Did you actually get any work done?"

Havoc shrugged his shoulders, "If you call two essays and picking a major, work...then yes."

Feeling drained he figured it was about time to throw the towel in anyway. He began to pack away his stuff. "So, what's the verdict?"

Jean smiled, "I'm going for a business degree with a focus in marketing. I mean I've always been good with advertising for our parties."

Roy watched for signs that his friend was making a joke, but there weren't any. Jean Havoc was really picking a major and one that in all fairness would probably suit him pretty well. "Need a ride back?"

The country boy made a face. "Why? You think I need motivation to talk to my favorite Beta Tau? And yes I do, thank you for offering." He added with a smirk.

That was the thing about Jean, the reason why he made such a great recruiter; he was easy to talk to. He had that slow southern charm that took peoples guard down. He was a loyal friend and despite his rather loose academic schedule he made a good Beta Tau Alpha and Roy was happy to see him trying to make a come a back. He could relate to that.

As they drove up the driveway and around the back of the BTA house he was surprised to find a vintage corvette taking up his parking space. "Elric." He muttered under his breath. "Havoc, run in there and tell the pipsqueak to move it or lose it."

Jean laughed, "Sure thing boss."

When his hot tempered little brother finally came barreling out of the house he honked his horn, prepared to fully antagonize the runt for taking his spot.

Instead of heading towards his car Ed stomped his way over, a piece of paper dangling from his hand.

"Move your car Elric you're taking up my spot."

His little brother ignored his statement and continued to walk over until he could hand him the paper.

"This better be a bribe." Roy commented as his curiosity won out and he took the paper. He wasn't past the first line before he skimmed the document and found himself speechless. An extremely rare occurrence.

"I think you'll find its better than a bribe." Ed mocked.

Mustang looked at the approval letter, the dean's signature clearly displayed at the bottom. "Do I want to know how you got his?"

"Does it matter? A signature is a signature and I got it for you." He looked damn proud of himself as he began to walk back to the house.

"Hey, Ed!" He watched as the kid looked back at him with that goofy, half grin on his face. "Thanks kid...now move your damn car."

Things were looking up and he was enjoying the high. Pulling out his phone he was halfway through dialing before he realized his mistake. Hitting end, he slumped on his bed, his earlier feelings of triumph evaporating.

It was killing him. The silence, the distance, the pain and undeniable broken parts of his life that just wouldn't piece together. It was supposed to be her that he was talking to, her that he was explaining his victorious moment with.

It would have been her and thanks to his own stupidity it wasn't.

And knowing that he had lost not only the girl he loved but his best friend was taking its toll. Spurred by the recent triumph on his research and footsteps back to academic success he decided to move to the next topic. But for this to work he needed some help. Heading up to Hughes room he leaned against the desk as his brother looked up from some reading.

"I need some info."

Hughes looked at him sternly, "What kind of information?"

"Where are the girls going for their bachelorette party?" He asked with the certainty that his brother knew exactly minute by minute where his fiancé would be and what she would be doing.

He took off his glasses and rubbed the spot on his nose. "No."

Roy crossed his arms over his chest. "If you don't tell me I can just totem it out of Ed." He had some trump cards in his pocket after all. "But I'd rather hear it from you."

"What are you planning to do to her?" He asked in retaliation, going straight to the heart of the matter.

He shrugged his shoulders, "Show her how much I love her in front of her best friends."

"To win her back, right?"

Why was Maes acting so weird? "That's the idea."

Was that disappointment or worry on his face?

"So you plan to interrupt her night out with her best friends to fulfill your own agenda?"

He scowled at the notion, "Well when you put it like that-"

"Don't do it Roy."

It hit him like a brick wall, a barrier he couldn't get over. "Aren't you the one who told me to get her back?"

"I did but-"

"But what?" He responded impatiently.

"I never stopped to think about what was best for her. Can you really say that you have? Can you really tell me that you two are the best for one another?" He shook his head, "You have to consider that maybe she is just supposed to be your friend and nothing more."

His ship sunk like the Titanic, no life boats and no hope of rescue. "What changed your mind?"

Maes looked truly apologetic, "I saw her the other day…she was with someone else."

He had no right to jump to conclusions but he did anyways. "And…?"

"She looked happy."

Roy straightened his posture, "Oh." He couldn't stand the truth suffocating him so he walked out of Maes room and did his best to distance himself from it as much as possible.

**(Susie)**

She wasn't used to being blown off, especially by a man she had thought had been wrapped around her finger. Roy Mustang could be a powerful ally and in their changing Greek system she could see that the future rested not in Delta Tau but in the up and coming Beta Tau Alpha. His looks didn't hurt either. He was handsome with those striking Xingese eyes and jet black hair. It wasn't that she didn't have other options, but she would like to explore this one a little further. He just needed to get over his ex-girlfriend. The girl looked like she had moved on and she was going to make sure Roy knew it.

Flipping through the spring catalog she eyed the newest Alpha Zeta gear. As an interior design student she had an eye for aesthetically pleasing items and was often consulted for fashion advice. Maybe that was why her face kept souring at the way her sisters jeans clung to her waist a little too tightly.

Putting the magazine down she rolled her head on her neck making a few much appreciated cracks of her joints. Pulling her hair up into a ponytail she nudged her sister in the side. "Come on Rose, let's go for a jog."

The brunette looked up from the notes she had been studying. "Rain check?"

Susie pretended not to hear, it would be cruel if she needed to spell it out. "I just need to grab my shoes, make sure you're ready in five."

She knew it was pretty self-assured to believe that she was the boss around the place, but to be fair it was true. As acting President she was confident of winning the position in the election the following week, but she would be damned if she ended up president of a sorority that had let themselves go. Those poor tri pi's were experiencing the woes of the freshman fifteen that had more to do with excessive drinking than bad eating habits but she wasn't about to point that out. Skipping a few meals here and there never hurt anyone and she might as well start getting them into shape for fall recruitment. They did only have a summer to make miracles happen.

Rose thankfully was lacing up her shoes when she reappeared. She was sure those extra little bits here and there were a result of the depressed binge eating habits that had taken her over since Kain's death. But seriously hadn't she ever heard of purging? It wasn't ideal but what was worse, eating yourself into a fat coma or puking every now and then to keep weight off?

She probably should have started off a little slower but then again she never had patience for others. Setting off and hitting her typical stride she was a little perturbed that Rose was meeting her pace, maybe it wouldn't hurt to stretch it a little today. After all she was helping Rose shed those pounds it would hardly be selfish to want to pick it up a notch.

It was about 3k when Rose finally called her to a stop, the girl bending at the waist. Susie covered her mouth, the sound of gagging making her a little ill. "Rose…" She jogged back over and tried rubbing the girls back.

Rose flinched but righted herself, a sickly paleness to her sweat covered face. "I think I'm going to be sick." She mumbled.

Susie made a face, "Well you sure look like it."

They still had about two miles left, and if Rose really did puke Susie was sure she was going to lose it. Frowning she looked over to see a car pulling off to the side.

"You girls okay?"

Susie looked on in dismay; tattoos, piercings and messy hair…ugh. They might need a ride back but she was too smart to take a ride from someone like him.

"Wait…Rose? Is that you?"

Her sorority sister looked up, recognition dawning on her face. "Huh? Sam?"

Rose really needed to stop picking out men from the bottom of the barrel. "You know him?"

"Do you guys need a lift?" He offered, eyeing the woozy look on Rose's face.

Susie wrinkled her nose at him, "We are _so_ not getting in that car."

The man rolled his eyes like she was being annoying or something. "Listen I'm headed right by your sorority house, I'm just trying to be polite."

Rose tugged at her arm, "Winry's my old roommate and that guy works with her, he's not going to do anything to us."

It looked like it was going to rain too. Perfect. The idea of her hair getting wet in public was probably the best motivator in this scenario. "Whatever, let's just go."

Rose hopped in front while she sat stubbornly in the back, happy to keep as much distance between her and that man as possible. They were almost home free when her sister sort of slouched to the side, the seatbelt the only thing keeping her from collapsing on top of Sam.

"Whoa!" He pulled the car over, his hands holding onto the sides of her face. "Rose? Rose!" He addressed the girl.

When she didn't respond Susie felt her skin crawl. "Ah! What the hell did you do to her?"

Sam looked disgusted, "I didn't do anything!"

He pushed her sister back against the seat, before pulling back onto the road with a loud screech of the tires.

Susie gripped onto her seat thinking that she hadn't even made it to Panhellenic Council; she was way too young and beautiful to die like this. "Stop!"

"We're taking her to the hospital, she's probably extremely dehydrated." He pondered aloud.

"You idiot, stop this car! Call 911!"

He glared at her through the rearview mirror as he hit the accelerator. "And wait for an ambulance to show up? For a college student you sure are dense."

Maybe it was the insult or just plain fear, whichever one it was she stayed silent for the rest of the drive.

**(Rose)**

It had been a confirmation to her earlier suspicions but that didn't mean it still didn't shake her. Dehydrated from the run was only a symptom of something that was happening to her body. Embarrassed and terrified out of her mind she pushed the hospital gown off of her shoulders and finished dressing before signing her own release papers.

Susie had overheard the results and that look of hers was stuck in Rose's head now, long after she had turned away and left her there.

At 19 years old she was pregnant and as lonely as she had ever been.

Wondering how in the world she was going to get back she was startled to hear the lady speak about a man waiting for her. The lady at the desk pointed over to a man whose body sank low in the waiting room chair, his chin fallen to his chest as he slept. Once again she was in a position to rely on someone she had once burned. Karma had a weird game it liked to play with her. Shame faced she gently touched his shoulder, "Sam?"

His body jumped upright, "M'up, I'm up." He protested incoherently before adjusting to his surroundings.

Avoiding his eyes she wrapped her arms around her stomach, "I can go now."

When he stood up and led the way out to his car she fully appreciated the qualities that Winry had defended him with. He didn't once ask her why Susie had left without a word or why she cried in despair at the news that she was pregnant.

"I called Rocky."

She looked up from her hands, aware that he was much kinder than his low voice led on.

"She's stuck in a sorority meeting but she said the resident adviser can let you into her dorm room."

If possible she felt worse; she didn't want to burden them anymore than she already had. "That's ok; just drop me off at the AZ house."

His fingers drummed against the steering wheel, "Yeah…because leading a sheep to a pack of wolves is obviously the better option. I'm taking you to Rocky's; she'll take care of you."

Rose opened her mouth to protest but she just didn't have it in her to stand up for her sorority sister's behavior or anything else to do with them. He was right, about the only friend she was finding out she had at this point was Winry.

**(Maes)**

The regular IFC meeting had concluded and now they had moved into elections. As a current board member he was well aware of the letter from the dean approving Roy's entry into the race but he was still confused. There was something off about this whole thing, but despite his distanced relationship with Roy he was going to trust that it was legit.

As far as elections go, the delegates from each chapter would cast a vote for the candidate to replace each current IFC member. The usual speeches from each candidate were followed by question and answer segments before the final voting could take place. To his surprise there really hadn't been an upset. As predicted Tyrone's little brother, Aaron James had claimed a position. Then there was Matt Storch, a certified genius, but not the most pleasant of guys from the Tau Kappa Delta. Next was Eric Smith, a brother of Alpha Chi which was home to both Miles and Buccaneer, and now it was down to that of president which was between Tom from Delta Tau and Roy Mustang.

Maes was a little worried about the outcome of this one. President of IFC almost always came from a previous board member moving up into the position. To run off the floor without ever having held an IFC position was risky. Tom was a current board member and a pretty stand-up guy but he wasn't a big believer in following the rule book and he wasn't known for being unbiased to all the fraternities. Hughes was further confused when looking at his own brother. Roy was extremely loyal to Beta Tau Alpha and his party boy image had skyrocketed in the past few weeks. Were these not weaknesses he had just targeted Tom with? While Roy had been dating Riza in the beginning Maes would have said he could take on the position but now he wasn't so sure.

When it came time for the questioning of each candidate Hughes watched as Tom sort of tanked. He had responses to each question, but they were vague and almost always seemed to trail off in another direction entirely.

Roy Mustang was the final candidate of the election to be questioned and he could tell Garret from Delta Tau was looking to get him on something to make sure Tom got the vote.

"How do you plan on uniting such a diverse group of board members enough to actually get anything done?" Garret asked resolutely.

Maes looked over at his brother, interested to see what his agenda really was. He knew Roy had been thinking about this position for a long time, but had that particular issue ever crossed his mind?

"Accountability. Every person who has been elected to this council is accountable for their position and all that it entails. Getting along is not the real problem that IFC sees. The real problem arises when the people on this board don't do their job. Like I said, I will hold the members of this council accountable not only to the fraternal institutes on which we serve but to each other. If members of this board cannot get along then I will proceed with the proper protocol to have them removed from the council itself. Cooperation is not a privilege it is a requirement."

Hughes was reminded of the guy who had taken over as president of Beta Tau and helped them climb their way up in the rankings. This was the guy who loved Riza with his entire being, the guy who had grown up without parents but never asked for sympathy. A man who decided long ago that he would never let his circumstances define who he wanted to be. Hughes finally let out a breath of relief; his brother really was back to himself.

Miles asked a crucial question that could potentially be to Roy's benefit rather than to catch him off-guard. "As IFC president what exactly do you plan to do?"

Mustang didn't once look down at notes or take a moment to think it over. His quick draw response was impressive and had certainly captivated his audience, even the members of Delta Tau. "We need a cohesive vision and a strong agenda for each meeting in a carefully outlined plan. As president of IFC my main focus will be the evolution of our fraternal system on this campus. We are facing great adversity and with University sanctions and bad press we need to take every opportunity we can to boast our reputation. But more than that, we must achieve the reputation that we want. Tyrone said it best when he asked us to look at our values and what principles our founders had in mind when they created our fraternities. Let's show this campus why we have such pride in our letters. We need to enforce service hours and really contribute to this campus if we wish to stay a part of it."

Miles was grinning and Hughes had to resist the temptation to stand up and start clapping. That was a long winded but great freaking answer.

The vote for this one took a little longer than the rest and when their Greek adviser finally collected them all he stood before both candidates. A moment passed before he reached his hand towards Roy.

"Congrats Roy Mustang."

Alex Armstrong's happy wails reverberated around the room as he hugged everyone within arms reach, which was a large number of people. The guy really could be a little too much at times but Hughes wouldn't have it any other way. He let everyone else get in their congrats with his brother before he approached him.

"Feel like yourself again?" He asked with a sincere desire to know if he really did.

Mustang's cocky smile, which he had worn through the acceptance, faltered. He put a hand on Hughes shoulder and nodded his head once. "I think everyone's had enough of that other guy. It's good to be back."

**(Ed)**

The party was in full swing by the time he and Winry made it there. The Beta Tau house had been transformed after elections into a festive drinking bonanza. Beer pong tournaments were already taking place in the dining room, their newly elected president Heymans Breda was currently playing flip cup to a crowd with Havoc and Falman, his big brother was shot gunning beers with Miles, Olivia and Hughes and Alex was currently leading a group in drunken karaoke.

Winry hadn't really said much since they left Rose back at their dorm. He knew she was feeling guilty but he wasn't about to let her miss out on this celebration, not when she had won VP of service and he had won Vice President. They had a reason to enjoy themselves and he was sick of watching that girl make Winry clean up her messes.  
"Sam knows something about her that he's not telling me." She voiced her concerns aloud.

Ed fought the urge to shake her. "Rose has some secret she's not telling us, big deal? You're not her sister and like hell she's been a good enough friend to deserve half the crap you put up with."

His girlfriend glared at him. "Something weird is going on with her, I just know it. Sam is never that serious."

He didn't feel the need to tell her that he had seen Sam more serious than that. That he had watched the guy lose it when she had gone missing. "Win, whatever it is, you can't help her until she decides that she needs help. When she's ready I'm sure she'll tell you. No use ruining your night over something you can do anything about."

Winry didn't look all that convinced but she finally gave way after Hughes snagged her in a bone crushing hug. "Congrats little sister! Gracia and I are so proud!"

As others began to monopolize his girl he found himself amused by something you don't see every day. Riza was currently laughing loudly, buccaneer helping her down from a keg stand. He wasn't the only one to notice either. Roy ambled over to his side, a weird look on his face as he watched Riza laughing happily with Buccaneer and a few other Alpha Chi's who were friendly with their fraternity.

"Stalker." He pointed out as Roy continued to stare on long after she had stopped being center of attention.

Roy scoffed, "Just watching her back." There was a long pause of silence before he cleared his throat. "Does she look happier to you?"

Now Ed knew for sure that Mustang had a few drinks in him. "I dunno, if I had just won president I would be too."

"I'm not asking what you think, what do you see?"

Was his brother blind? "She just did a keg stand and now she's laughing with friends, so yeah I think she looks pretty happy."

His big brother patted him on the back. "Yeah I think so too."

Ed kept his eyes on the retreating back of his brother, his expression souring at the girl who had begun to trail after him. What the hell was Susie from Alpha Zeta doing here? About to intervene he was brought back to his own as Winry pressed against his back, her chin resting on his shoulder.

"What was that all about?"

Boy was he grateful he hadn't managed to mess things up with her recently. "He's still in love with her; do you think I need to do something?"

Winry chewed on her lip, "Do you think you can?"

Ed shook his head, that bastard brother of his was more clueless than he was.

A few rounds of beer pong later he, as well as the rest of the partiers, were well aware that Winry Rockbell had deadly aim. His girlfriend was a natural at beer pong and he was sure to have bragging rights as they claimed victory after victory. She didn't miss, not one damn cup but they decided to call it quits as the night wore on.

The music got louder as the lights appeared to grow dimmer. He was soon finding that Winry had other talents she had been holding out on him. With a coy smile she danced close, her hands running around his neck and through his hair. He wasn't one for dancing but this was hardly a waltz and he had NO idea how well his girl could move her hips.

The both of them had always stepped up to the plate so it felt nice to act like the freshman college students they were. Long after three games of flip cup, one beer bong and two shotguns later they were lucky to be still standing. He thought he saw Roy trying to shake off the attention of Susie but he still didn't think anything of it. His focus was on Winry and enjoying his night. Besides it wasn't like he hadn't been a good brother. They laughed at the drawings covering Falman's face as he slept peacefully, unaware that a party was still going full swing around him. But after a nice laugh he had been persuaded by Winry to wipe it off. Falman still did nothing more than snore throughout the process. Ed would have to mention this to him in the morning.

When the night began to draw to a close he found himself seeking the company of only one. He pulled at Winry's hand, leading her outside. They pushed the used solo cups off the porch swing and sat down, their fingers intertwined together.

"It's nice to let loose sometimes." She breathed out into the night air.

Ed let her lean back against him, "Yeah."

"I'm tired." She murmured against his neck as the swing rocked slowly.

He felt his own eyes begin to droop, "Mmm."

**(Roy)**

He didn't recognize the guy dancing with her, but when he saw her try a few different times to make him stop his hands from going places they shouldn't go…he lost it. And now he wasn't even sure how he ended up being the bad guy, but it looked like he was.

"Don't play dumb with me, what did you say to him Roy?"

His fists clenched. "I told him to stay away from you."

"You have no right to say that to him!" Riza barked looking just as enraged.

"He had his hands all over you!" Roy protested hotly.

Riza stepped closer and he knew she wouldn't hesitate to beat his ass. "He can have his hands anywhere he wants." Her jaw clenched, "You. Are. Not. My. Boyfriend."

"You're drunk and you're going to regret this in the morning." He insisted, but it was hard to reason with a drunken Riza. A part of him suddenly understood the position he had put her in countless times before.

Hawkeye laughed a loud and uncharacteristically bitter laugh. "Of course, you would know from experience wouldn't you?"

It would be his luck that Susie was still tailing him. "Come on Roy." She appeared at his side, an annoyed and slightly haughty air to her. "She isn't worth it."

Roy pulled his arm out of her grasp; this one could not take a damn hint. "Back off Susie."

But it was too late Riza had already stepped forward, "Worth it? Yeah and he had to be wasted to sleep with your slutty ass."

Oh god, there was going to be a girl fight. In the back of his mind something cheered that thought on…or maybe it was just Havoc who really was verbally egging them on.

"Tell me, how does it feel knowing that you just aren't good enough? But I'm sure by now you and all the Kappa Dikes are used to coming in second."

Two things happened at once, the first couldn't have made him prouder and the second made him wish he wasn't such an ass. Riza knocked Susie back with a well-placed punch to the face and he had to hold her back to stop there from being a second and possibly third hit.

The Alpha Zeta president screeched, "My nose? That bitch broke my nose!"

Riza smirked, as the crowd cheered. "That felt good."

Susie glared at them, no one there to back her up. "You're going to regret this." Her eyes flashed from Riza to Roy, "I'm going to ruin you."

"You already did." He shook his head, "And I'm a fool for letting you. Now get the FUCK out of this house."

He knew that it was the booze that had gotten him into this mess but he did thank it as Riza drunkenly wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him hard. Roy wasn't sure how much she was forgiving him for with that kiss but he knew how much he owed her when he returned it.

When they broke apart he looked her in the eyes holding her firmly in place. She needed to hear this. "Tell me, is it too late?"

Her head kind of bobbed to the side, "Hmm…" She tried to lean forward and kiss him again, but he needed to hear her say it.

"Riza, please? I need you to say it." He asked softly.

Riza bit her lip before holding her palm against his chest. "If I was a smart girl I would walk away...I thought I was a smart girl."

Well there it was, the answer he knew he should have seen coming. But instead of feeling her pull away she was so close that her nose was touching his. He could smell the alcohol on her breath. "It's not over."

He pushed her chin up with his finger. "Riza-"

She shoved away his hand, her finger resting on his lips. "Shh…I don't wanna have to say it anymore. When I said it's not over, I meant it's not over."

They stood there staring at each other for a long time. Then she put her head down and puked on his shoes. Outstanding.

Olivia let Roy in the house, acting like a hovercraft as he carried Riza up to her room and tucked her in. "Alright Mustang, you've done enough for one night."

He scowled at his least favorite Kappa Delta. "I'm just trying to make sure she's okay, I don't think I've ever even seen her drunk before."

"Un huh and I don't think she would appreciate waking up with a guy who is covered in puke."

"It's her puke!" He tried to defend himself.

Olivia pulled her hair up into a messy bun looking tired. "Listen, I'm going to bed and you need to go home. I'm her sister; I'll take care of her."

Roy could have protested but he was tired, smelled like vomit...he wasn't doing himself any favors if he stayed. Consenting to Olivia he let out a breath, he knew she was thinking the same thing he was. Riza would wake up tomorrow with a killer hangover and a sore hand but would probably have zero memory of what had actually happened.

Olivia led him outside. "Mustang."

He looked back over his shoulder, not eager to make the walk home. "Yeah?"

"You really want her back?"

That she even had to ask proved that he hadn't done a good enough job to prove himself. "More than she'll ever know."

"Right...next time, try to apologize when you're both sober."

When the door to the Kappa Delta house shut he found himself not completely hating this night. It was about 4am and the quiet walk home gave him room to clear his head. Walking up to the front of his fraternity house he paused at the door. His little brother was fast asleep on the porch swing, his girlfriend snuggled in his arms. There was a plethora of things he could do to a brother that had passed out with his shoes on. Heading inside he found what he was looking for. Heading back outside he draped the blanket over the two of them. Running a hand through his hair he decided that something really had changed in him. Lost in thought he didn't notice that Winry's eyes were open or that she was smiling.

That Roy Mustang, for all his bravado and snarky wit, just happened to be a big 'ole softie on the inside.

* * *

**Next Chapter: Greek Week**

Tensions between some fraternities and sororities have never been higher and as other people come into the picture relationships are more complex and complicated then some can handle. So let the competition begin!


	23. Greek Week

**A/N:** I hate making excuses but I fought tooth and nail with this chapter. Its been deleted, rewritten, lost and deleted again. Since its been so long I think it might be good to refresh before starting this one. Thanks for sticking with me on this.

**Chapter 23: Greek Week**

**(Riza)**

The light burned, her pupil's slow dilation forcing her to squint in pain. Swallowing against the sandpaper of her throat she scrubbed the palm of her hands over her face. It appeared the tangible meaning of a hangover had finally revealed itself.

The morning had delivered on her binge the night before, bringing with it a searing headache and the uncontrollable urge to puke…or maybe she already had. Something told her that was a strong possibility. Holding a hand to her mouth she stumbled to the bathroom in a blur of queasiness. Tears pricked at her eyes while her stomach emptied itself. It burned on the way up just as it had on the way down. There didn't seem to be much left to throw up, but that didn't stop her stomach from heaving a few more times before settling into a temporary calm. Washing her mouth out in the sink she stared at the swirling water until it disappeared from the basin. If only it were that easy to rinse away the things you didn't want to see. Unable to resist she peered up at the frightening reflection. Her short blonde hair was pushed out at weird angles, puffy skin rimmed with dark circles around her eyes and while she didn't spend too much time looking she was sure that was puke on her shirt. Feeling grimy and a little sick at the sight she stalked off to one of the shower stalls leaving a trail of clothes in her wake.

Once the water began to run she could feel the hot steam engulf the small space, easing her tensed muscles and clearing her head. Standing under the onslaught of water she tried to remember. It came on slow at first and quicker as each new memory cleared the way for the next. Putting her palm against the tiled wall she breathed in and out with a forced calm; careful to quell the stirring of her stomach. Every inhibition thrown to the wind, every reservation forgone in one night was a lot to think over. Feeling somewhat human again she rubbed her hair dry, eyes glued to her phone. It was a simple message but the words made her stomach twist.

_We need to talk, please._

Exhausted despite the sleep she stood in her room and wondered where to begin her day. Hayate rubbed against her leg, his puppy eyes wide with concern. It would be easy to text back hurtful, hateful words but she wasn't feeling spiteful. He was her first love and that's where she had been wrong to think she could treat it any differently. Roy had been much more to her from the start and ending things with him completely was impossible; she would carry those memories for the long haul.

She wasn't sure if they could repair what they had before, but maybe they could start from the beginning, go back to being friends. Because when she thought about who was going to be there in the end she couldn't help but wonder if it could be him. Chewing on the inside of her cheek she thought about the previous night, about the way she had finally let herself go. Free of her conscious, her body had taken over and the only thing it had wanted at the time was Roy. There was so much history between them that it felt natural to fall back on what they had and not what it currently was.

Rotten heart, it always had a way of directing her brain without her approval.

Aside from her own needs she was slowly beginning to understand his. Not that she had never fully assessed what Roy Mustang needed but now she was aware of how she fit into that picture. He had to be an adult at a young age, not unlike herself, and yet she often forgot he still needed to grow up. He needed to get real with himself and confront those vices that threatened to take him under; just as she needed to outgrow her coldness towards others and that reluctance to let people in.

Riza chewed on her lower lip; she was all too willing to jump back in, to dive into the same relationship that had broken her heart. This wasn't one of her law classes where a case could be built on hard evidence; this was years' worth of friendship and love that had become so entangled that neither of them really knew what to make of each other. That was one of the core issues, no matter how hard she tried to forget just where Roy Mustang belonged in her life, the more painstakingly obvious it was becoming. She could count the number of times she had loved someone on one hand and Roy Mustang still had a huge fucking piece of her heart, a chunk of her life that she couldn't get back. While all that didn't necessarily mean they owed each other anything, she certainly thought it did.

"Thank god you got that out of your system." Olivia stated loudly to grab her attention.

Riza watched as the oldest Armstrong leaned against the door frame, her arms decidedly crossed over her chest. "Can't have my second in command drunkenly dragging through Greek Week."

"The feeling is mutual." She agreed, fully appreciating that some lessons have to be learned the hard way. Holding her liquor had never been an issue, but then again she had never tested the theory until last night. The eyes of her sister made her hyper aware of herself and what she had done and while she couldn't do anything about the past she still mourned her behavior. She was ashamed; a future president didn't do what she had done and the ones that did were not of the caliber to which she wanted to fall.

"You had a few too many and put a bitch in her place. Reckless and a little harsh, but not really your style." Olivia helped herself to a seat atop Riza's dresser. She picked up a framed photo of their sisters from bid day, holding it up for a moment before setting it back down. "But I'm proud to say I've never seen an Alpha Zeta look more humiliated." Jumping back to her feet Olivia stretched, the sound of her joints cracking back into place. "So come downstairs, eat greasy food to settle your stomach, and give us a good story to listen to."

"Aren't you going to send me to standards?" Riza asked, worried that her behavior might have put her standing in the sorority in some kind of jeopardy.

Olivia scoffed, waving a dismissive hand through the air. "Everyone has a get out of jail free card; you're no exception Riza."

She wished she felt more relieved, but the regret and the hangover weighed heavy on her mind. "I guess so."

"Riza?"

She stayed silent, thinking there had to be a catch to all this.

"That idiot brought you home last night, tried to stay and take care of you." Olivia rolled her eyes as if the idea still annoyed her. "I'm only going to say this once because I never want to hear myself say it again. Try giving him a second chance. He's a fucking cocky bastard who thinks more with his dick than his head, but for whatever reason he makes you happy. As a general rule, I do what makes me happy because I can't think of anyone's happiness that is more important than my own."

"A second chance-?" Riza stared with her mouth slightly open, was this really Olivia giving her advice to take Roy back?

Olivia caught on fast her eyes flashing, "Don't get too used it, I still think he should be beaten down to a pulp but he seems to love you. So you just need to decide if you love him too. If the answer is yes, take him back. If it's no, then move on and don't look back."

"What makes you think I'm not happy now?"

"I've known you for three years; give me more credit than that." Olivia argued with a determined gleam in her eyes.

Happiness, huh. How long had it been since she was _really_ happy? Immediately her mind wandered to Christmas at his Aunt's bar and how sure she had felt that he was the one. Holding grudges wasn't her style and as much as she wanted to go on hating him for what he had done she kept thinking that history does matter. She wouldn't be able to forget that he had been her first, that he had helped her through several rough patches. When the whole world had moved on while her family disappeared before her eyes, he was the only one to really notice.

She held her hand up to her face, the hinges of her jaw running slack as it hit her. Tears? Riza quickly rubbed away at the wetness in her eyes, embarrassed at the scene she was making.

Olivia pretended to be interested in the magazine on the dresser as Riza quickly brushed away the few that had fallen. "I'll get all the girls gathered downstairs." She set the magazine down. "Why don't you pick out a movie? Maybe a romantic comedy so we can laugh at how stupid other people are for falling in love…and laugh at each other for how stupid we are for doing it too."

Riza took a long, shaky breath. "Yeah, I'd like that. Thank you."

Olivia stiffened her shoulders like the rock Riza needed her to be for the moment. "Just be Riza Hawkeye this week and help us win that trophy. That should be a sufficient thank you."

Nodding her head she agreed because as easy as it was to wallow in self-pity this hangover reminded her how much better it was to live without it.

**(Ed)**

Greek Week had a huge reputation and he was skeptical that anything could live up to such hype. Feet dragging he was finding out firsthand that this was the week college students lived for, Greek or not. Competition during the day and black out worthy parties at night. In the words of Havoc they were 'living the dream'. But as much as he was up for a good fight, he was still struggling to grasp onto the spirit of it all.

Truth be told, it was insanity.

Today was the first day of Greek Week and he was already overwhelmed. The sheer number of students crammed into the University auditorium had to be over the maximum venue allotment. Every fraternity and sorority was present for the opening Greek Week event and boy were they present. Greek letters were everywhere and the sound of chants was deafening. If he hadn't spotted his brothers he would have thought he had stumbled upon one of those cheerleading competitions.

Winry should be amongst the crowd but he was aware with a hint of guilt that she was working away at the garage. He could have really used her presence right about now. Palms sweaty, heart pounding, nerves on edge and eyes squinted in the spotlight he felt a little sick. He sort of wished he had a good excuse to forgo this madness but upset stomach might not do the trick.

The first event of the week was Quizbowl and he was currently sitting in the hot seat wondering why he agreed to this. Their Quizbowl team consisted of him, Breda, Falman, Armstrong and Fuery. The standard five team members from each fraternity and sorority would compete against one another. Each right answer would move them forward while each wrong answer would pull the contender from the competition. It really boiled down to the idea that each team could potentially answer four questions wrong and still have one last player in the game. It seemed like an intellectual battle of wit, this should have been right up his alley.

Each of them had a particular set of expertise but he was smart enough to realize that it was Falman who was their trump card. Of course he had received the best education growing up, but he was no encyclopedia. The oldest member of Beta Tau Alpha was filled with tons of useless trivia and with his photographic memory he really was a force to be reckoned with. It was crucial that they keep their winning man for the last slot.

So why was he first again?

He glanced down the table dissecting each player and making a mental note of who remained a threat as they awaited their first question. In order to keep things honest each person had to write their answer down in the time allotted and wait to be checked by the members of the Interfraternity Council as well as the Panhellenic council. That was another thing he found a little strange, as per tradition, all members of the Interfraternity Council as well as the Panhellenic Council were forbidden from entering into any Greek Week activities. Since they served as representatives of the Greek community as a whole they forfeit the chance to compete as a member of their respective fraternity/sorority.

Greek life was a hell of a lot more complicated than any course the University offered.

Their bastard president Mustang had finally relented and given him the last spot on the team for Quizbowl and while in theory it had been great, in reality it was losing its luster. Most of the people on the panel were junior year or higher…_intimidating bastards_. After a brief scan he noted his biggest rival in this group was not going to come from Delta Tau, their perpetual rival, but by the genius group put together by Tau Kappa Delta. The other competitors from Alpha Chi, Alpha Mu, and Lambda Sigma had some reasonably smart guys but he the self-proclaimed prodigies of TKD were in a league of their own.

The first three questions were pretty basic including the year the school first began, the last line to the national anthem and the name of one of the current princes of Xing. The last one nicked off everyone except himself. He would have to thank Al later for his obsession with Xingese culture. Feeling a little more at ease in his position he went slack jawed when he ended up misspelling his next response and getting the boot. Holding back a few choice words he reluctantly gave up his seat to the next brother from his fraternity.

The excitement in the air grew as the line of brothers from each fraternity cut down one by one, eventually narrowing the competition to Falman of Beta Tau Alpha and Rick Aimes from Tau Kappa Delta.

Arms crossed he watched with growing frustration as the two kept going from one question to the next. How long was this going to last?

Falman looked stoic as he sat up on the board, the pen in his hand steady with confidence in his intellect. Ed knew his brother wasn't the biggest fan of being center of attention, but he was a solid competitor and a genius at heart. He jumped as someone snuck up behind him, placing their arms around his waist.

"Hello stranger."

Lucky for him they were fairly well acquainted. "If you're here for moral support you're a little late." He mused out loud.

His girlfriend snickered at his remark. "You're a big boy; you don't need me to hold your hand."

"Hush." He turned around and ruffled her hair making Winry squeal in annoyance.

They continued to poke and prod at each other like little kids until Winry suddenly grabbed his chin, forcing him to look back at the stage. "Hey, what's up with Falman?"

Pulling out of her hold he realized what had caught her attention. "What…?" Strange, he hadn't noticed it before, but there was something off about his brother. "Is he falling asleep up there?"

It was only a passing observation but now that he scrutinized his brother it was undeniable. The guy was yawning between questions, his head in the palm of his hand. Vato Falman took another drink from the glass in front of him before rubbing the back of his hand across his eyes.

What was going on? Was Vato really tired or was it nerves? Sure Falman slept more than the average college student but he looked ready to collapse up there.

Falman's chin dipped low, his eyes following but with effort he looked back up. As if fighting a losing battle his head began lower again. Ed looked around, curious if anyone else was seeing this. Apparently he wasn't the only one who saw the difference because both Roy and Maes were talking fast under their breaths, their eyes glued on their brother.

Vato's face looked a little pale as he rubbed his eyes once again. "I'm incredibly sorry, could you repeat the question?" He asked slowly.

Marc, the Greek adviser, narrowed his eyes as if to assess what was happening to Falman but reread the question anyways.

Ed stepped forward nudging Roy in the arm. "You better do something quick." Falman's rather formal way of speaking was even sounding a little strained.

Breda cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled over the crowd. "Come on Falman!"

Several brothers followed suit but it didn't look like it was helping. The hinges on Mustang's mouth appeared to come undone as he watched Vato. "What is he doing up there?"

The next question was asked but instead of writing anything down they watched in disbelief as their brother slumped forward, his head landing with a resounding thud against the table.

Roy swore loudly, already pushing through to the front of the crowd. Of those still observing the final showdown between BTA and Tau Kappa Delta there was a collective gasp and then a smattering of laughter and disbelief.

Mustang leapt up onto the stage, his voice echoing around the auditorium. "You better be pulling my leg."

Falman moaned, his hand coming up weakly to wave away his badgering brother. "Lemme just shut my eyes for a little…"

Marc looked a little torn, his expression going from incredulous to apologetic. Generally speaking their Greek Adviser had seen it all, but even this seemed to capture his surprise. "I'm afraid the time limit for the question is over. I am going to need an answer."

Roy glared at him, "Yeah, well isn't being narcoleptic some kind of exception to the rule?"

Marc licked his lips, looking at the readied response from TKD's Rick Aimes. "I need an answer Vato Falman." He waited but the last standing BTA man couldn't even hold his head up. Falman merely groaned and buried his face further into his crossed arms over the table.

"Sorry boys no answer, no win." Marc admitted, though his tone suggested he really didn't want to make a call like this.

Rick held up his answer like a kid holding a magnifying glass while the ants below burned. He stared at Falman with a look akin to a smug toad.

"That is correct, Tau Kappa Delta you are the winners of Quizbowl." Marc announced while the boys of TKD went wild in the crowd.

Ed shook his head in disbelief at the results. No one would voice it, but they were all thinking it. Falman had a lot of answering to do when he woke up.

**(Miles)**

Olivia was standing strong; her figure clothed in a military uniform that made his body yearn to sing at her touch. She pointed her sword at his chest, "You, undress."

He saluted her with a firm hand. "Yes ma'am."

She thrust her hand out grabbing his goods in a fist. "That's General to you." She spoke roughly against his ear.

Miles submitted without question and was about to find an opening to take her down when he heard voices. Huh? He tried to focus on the powerful woman in front of him but they weren't alone anymore and he was pissed. Those voices sounded awfully familiar; didn't they belong to some of his fraternity brothers?

Suddenly the image of Olivia was gone and he was sitting upright in an empty bed. The loud shouts woke him up before someone even bothered to knock on his door. Rubbing his eyes he groaned out from sleep deprivation, someone was going to pay for this. Rolling out of bed he threw his door open revealing complete chaos. The hallway was filling with smoke and for once he was at a loss.

His eyes widened in disbelief. Where was the fire and why hadn't the smoke detectors gone off?

One of the youngest house members came stumbling out of his room, reeking of booze he had not yet slept off. "Fire! I can't breathe…we got to get out of here! Fire!"

Miles caught Tommy by the collar of his shirt, keeping him from running the wrong way. "Come on kid."

A part of him almost looked over his shoulder, almost turned back to his room to try and salvage something but he didn't have the luxury. His brothers were not the brightest and when he spotted several of them simply watching as the smoke rose he knew he was right to not turn back. "Let's go!" He bellowed loudly.

Pulling his shirt over his mouth and nose he ushered his brothers down the stairs. The sound of sirens in the distance comforted him if only a little. It took them longer than it should have but they were soon filing out the front door. Blinking into the darkness he let out a breath of relief as he counted off all his brothers. He knew he ought to be grateful that everyone was safe and sound, but the idea of their fraternity house going up in flames was inconceivable.

Looking at the house he rubbed his temples, how could this have happened?

He could feel the exhaustion building as he gave up and sat down in the grass. Greek Week had only just begun and already he was tired of balancing the duties of President while keeping on track for his last semester of college.

Letting his chin drop he sniffed once, then again. Wait a minute…what in the world was that smell? Picking up his shirt he took another whiff, his eyes slowing growing larger as the clues started to come together. The smoke wasn't building anymore; in fact it was actually starting to fade. For the second time since he had been so rudely awoken he felt a startling sense of disbelief.

Smoke bombs?

Two hours of questioning, a police report, and cardboard boxes cut to cover broken windows made by the smoke bombs and he was really at his limit. The house reeked and while they had opened the upstairs windows to let in some air he was too wired to sleep.

Buccaneer slammed his automail fist against the armrest of the couch. "Someone has a lot of pain coming their way."

Miles imagined the person or people responsible on the receiving end of his brothers metal fist…yeah that was about right. Problem was they had no idea who this someone was. It seemed pretty clear that it was the work of one of the other fraternities on campus, but to be able to prove which one was a daunting task.

When morning finally came he was grateful for his perpetual tan and red eyes because at least no one would be able to tell how utterly spent he was. He didn't want to appear weak in front of his brothers, especially not on field day. Sure they had been schooled in Quizbowl by the other fraternities, but they could bank on the physical challenges. If they wanted a chance at the title he knew they needed to walk away from field day on top, otherwise they really didn't stand a chance.

Downing the rest of his water he rubbed his hands together in anticipation. It wasn't nerves that had his insides doing flips, it was the adrenaline and it couldn't have come at a better time. This was the final round and while the first couple hadn't been particularly easy it was safe to say that this would be the most challenging. About to give his brothers a good pep talk he was interrupted by the sight of one very dominating woman.

Her arms settled across her developed bust. "You still reek of smoke."

She was about as subtle as a firework. "Excuse me for not having time to launder my clothes; I was a little occupied with my house being vandalized."

Olivia gave him a once over, "Cardboard covered windows are heinous and not very practical. You boys need better security at that frat castle of yours."

This was why he was in love with Olivia Mila Armstrong. She was brash and abrasive, but he found that seductively attractive in comparison to his own personality.

"I'll have my father's security team set you boys up. Oh and one more thing."

He grinned at his girlfriend. "Yes?"

She gave him a look suitable to sniffing a soiled diaper. "I don't date losers Miles."

He raised an eyebrow, "Is that your way of encouraging me to win this?"

Olivia shrugged, "Maybe and maybe I'm just not attracted to those that finish second." Her lips pursed together as if daring him to call her bluff.

He seized the moment and tried to pull her in for a kiss but she was always one step ahead. Her hand interrupted, catching his lips. "You don't get a reward unless you deserve it." With a devilish grin she turned on her heel and headed up into the bleachers.

A few of his brothers patted him on the back. "Tough break Miles, guess we better win this or else your ass is about to get dumped."

To most she might look like a witch but he knew better, he knew that she was of a caliber these other guys would never believe. She had been his teammate for four years; of course she knew how to motivate him. Though as he thought on it, it occurred to him that only as of recent did she showcase her full powers of persuasion. If only she had offered herself as an incentive before maybe they might have won that championship football game. Oh well, the past was in the past, now was the time for him to show her what he was really made of.

Pulling his Alpha Chi brothers into a huddle, reminiscent of his former football days, he was suddenly struck by what Olivia had reminded him of. Most of these guys were their former teammates, guys with an unfulfilled sense of victory. Grinning he hooked his arms around Buccaneer and Anderson's shoulders as the rest grouped in tighter. "I know you guys are tired and frustrated from last night but that stuff is useless to us now. The last time we were on this field we let something get away from us. I don't know about you guys but I make it a point to not repeat my mistakes."

Lining up they waited for the Greek adviser to call it. After checking both sides he held up his hands signaling them to pick up the rope. Miles took his grip and planted his feet. When their adviser's hands came down with a resounding "Go!" he let his muscles do the work and show these boys what four years of college football had given him.

The rope burned as it pulled against his skin, a guttural moan resounding off as he struggled to keep his stance against what was turning out to be a commanding force. Sure Beta Tau Alpha had some pretty good guys amongst their ranks but he was a little surprised at their resistance.

They were a fraternity of competitive men, of athletes from all different areas who dedicated their time to perfecting their bodies. If they didn't come out on top at the end of field day they had no chance of winning this thing. It was Greek Week and on field day winners were born of pain and sweat. He could hear his brothers labored breaths and while he heard Buccaneer call out the counts he knew all eyes were on him. He was their president and the first man on the line, if he gave up even an inch it could mean the end.

On the opposing side he could see the fatigue, the gritting of teeth as the fibers rubbed their hands raw and the sheer force it took to simply hold their ground. Buccaneer's loud voice rang out for them to pull on every second count; he obeyed without a second thought. It was fair to say a team is only as good as their weakest link. Tough break for Mustang and his brothers because as the orange flag finally moved to their side he knew there was no weak link on his team.

The crowd roared as Alpha Chi men tugged the final pull to claim their victory and the BTA boys slid into a second place finish.

Miles felt the bodies of his brother's slam into him and the other guys but he wasn't ready for a celebration just yet. Mustang was off to the side his calculating gaze waiting for him to make the next move, but Miles was a trained athlete, one who knew better than to muck up a win.

"I guess we can give you this battle… it takes more than one to win a war." Mustang challenged in a tremendously arrogant fashion.

Rising to the bait he fired back. "A win is a win Roy, no matter what way you look at it." Grinning he relented and held out his hand in good faith. "But you guys were competition and that's the highest compliment I can give."

Roy matched his grin and shook his hand, the grip crushing. "Enjoy your win; it's the last one you'll get from us."

Before Roy turned away he decided now was as good of a time as any to discuss something rather important. "What happened to Falman at quizbowl?"

Mustang grimaced, "He doesn't have a clue, he says he didn't feel tired before the competition started and while I know he can pass out anywhere he's never done it in the middle of something important."

Miles knew he could be pushing the wrong buttons but he needed to know. "Was he on something?"

Mustang snapped his gaze up, a fire in his eyes. "What do you mean?"

The sounds of Alpha Chi boys cheering was starting to dim but Miles couldn't leave it alone. "He was set up; I think we both have been."

The Beta Tau Alpha President had an intrigued look about him as he caught on to what Miles was hinting towards. "The smoke bombs? You think it's related to what happened to Falman?"

Miles waved his hands throwing off the notion, "I don't have any proof but something just doesn't add up. I'm getting too old for this Greek drama." He admitted still feeling the exhaustion of a missed night of rest. There was no way the smoke bomb incident stood alone.

"Why are you telling me this?"

He exhaled slowly, "Because I think this is just the beginning."

**(Rebecca)**

Pulling the blue tank over her head she looked down at the block letters and smiled. There was a sort of pride she got from wearing her sorority letters. Adjusting he white shorts she pulled her wavy hair into a ponytail before slipping on a headband. Admiring her reflection she laughed as Olivia thumbed a black stripe on each of her cheeks.

"Readying for battle?" Rebecca joked.

The older girl smirked, "I like to think of it as preparing for revenge."

Second place in the variety show didn't cut it in Olivia's eyes and Rebecca was confident that her sisters were not about to let first place slip away so easily.

"I don't even know why I'm wasting my time trying to look good." She moaned as Olivia put the marks on her cheeks. "We're going to be covered in mud."

"People pay good money for mud baths." The oldest Armstrong offered as if that should cover it.

Rebecca rolled her eyes, "You cannot tell me that watered down practice fields are on the same level of exfoliate as a spa."

Mud volleyball or Oozeball as it was so lovingly called had quickly become a Greek Week favorite and newer tradition. As primeval as these sort of competitions go she wasn't so sure the original founders of Central's Greek Week had envisioned girls in short shorts and tank tops being covered in mud but despite Olivia's usual protest of their uniform choice even she couldn't deny it was easier to play in.

Smiling she rolled her shorts a few times at the waist making them infinitely shorter than her sisters. She knew how to turn heads and while one head hadn't been turning in her favor she wouldn't object to the some of the younger firemen who were currently gawking. Central's fire department always volunteered their time to soak the volleyball courts, turning them into mud traps as well as helping to rinse off players after each game. But as of recent a certain group of younger firemen had been happy to volunteer their time.

As the rest of her team was warming up she caught sight of a blond head in the crowd. He continued walking unaware of whose eyes were following him.

Sidestepping a few people Rebecca shoved at Havocs shoulder, feeling a little peeved that he hadn't even noticed her. "Jean!"

He looked around in mock confusion though he had obviously spotted her in the crowd. "Well if it isn't the elusive Rebecca Catalina, the coffee shop doesn't feel the same without you."

"You say that like it's a bad thing." She mouthed off. He had been ignoring her lately and while she could blame it on preparations for Greek Week she was well aware of who had been taking up the majority of his time and precisely why she wasn't willing to give him any of hers. And yet there he stood like he had no idea what could have possibly brought on this new disappearing act. It should have been obvious and it should have bothered him but she was becoming aware that didn't.

"Of course it's a bad thing." He stared at her with that goofy grin like nothing had changed between them. "Who else can take the full brunt of my humor?"

It hurt to smile at that. This was the part that she had been walking on eggshells to prevent, the part where she wanted to fall back into how things were. If any of her sorority sisters asked her she was prepared to deny it, but she couldn't lie to herself. Somehow that rowdy boy from the country had snuck in under her radar. She was attracted to him and it was frustrating to pretend otherwise. But this was Jean and seeing him turn into a decent boyfriend for this girl made her jealous with a feeling of inadequacy radiating through her blood. Why now? Why _her_?

"How are things with you and the girl?" She almost bit her tongue to stop the words coming out but she was more interested in how he might respond.

He pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and hit them against his palm a few times before picking one out. "Girl? You mean Solaris?"

"No I was talking about the other girl you've been going out with." She replied laying the sarcasm on thick.

He laughed, "Heh well I don't know what you've heard but I'm a one woman kind of guy." He announced like it was something to be proud of.

"Could have fooled me." She snorted keeping the comment under her breath.

He carried on as if she really cared about what he had to say. "Listen, Solaris is having some people over tomorrow night. You should come, get to meet her."

"We're up Becky." Gracia interrupted, her hand waving her along.

Combing her fingers through her hair she hauled it up into a ponytail grateful for the excuse to run away. "I'll think about it. Well, duty calls."

"Hey Becca!"

She turned as he reached for her. He squeezed her shoulder briefly, "Good luck out there."

Ignoring the slight pull she felt at his words she shrugged it off. "Yeah, yeah. You too."

**(Winry)**

Winry was the epitome of a tough earned victory. She certainly looked the part with a few scrapes, cuts, cramped muscles and a body soaked in mud.

Rebecca caught her in a fierce hug, celebrating their latest win as they walked off the muddy court. So far her sorority had heightened the level of competition and while she was exhausted from school and work she couldn't help but get into the spirit of things, especially since they had just beaten Alpha Zeta. With that win they were in the finals verses Sigma Iota Nu and she was amped up to take the win.

Stretching her arms across her chest she enjoyed the slight pull of her muscles as they flexed. This whole winning thing was taxing, but vastly rewarding. It was probably something Olivia was putting in their water bottles because even mild mannered Gracia had screamed and jumped up and down like a mad women after they defeated the Tri Delts. It was easy to see why everyone got so pumped over this one silly week in April.

Headed back onto the muddy court the women of Kappa Delta were headed into the final match against Sigma Iota Nu. Looking around she was relieved to see Ed amongst the crowd gathered to watch the final matchup for Oozeball sorority champ. Nothing like having a little moral support to get you going. And maybe it was a little flattering to have his eyes on her; a motivator for her to show off, if just a little. Flipping her head over she combed her fingers through her hair as best she could before pulling it together in a tight pony tail. Straightening her shirt and shorts she headed over to the huddle where her sisters had begun to gather. They were on the crest of victory or defeat and with one look at those Sigma Iota Nu girls she was convinced the former was their only option.

With a break in between the match she got a good look at her teammates. The starters consisted of Olivia, Rebecca, Paninya, Riza, Maria and herself. Olivia was like a true warrior god with her flaxen hair and Xerxian blood, the mud streaks only adding a rather ostentatious flair of animalistic aggression to her normally flawless appearance. Riza was a force of her own, a statue of pure drive, while Rebecca radiated a confidence that visibly boasted both of their other teammates Maria and Paninya. Intimidation at its finest came simply from a look and while Sigma Iota's could talk trash Winry knew Paninya's mouth could make anyone blush and found comfort in the easy rebuttals she offered. When Garret from the IFC blew his whistle they headed into their final match, their expressions steeled against the competition.

Across the net a busty, dark haired, girl made a show of tangling tongues with Jean Havoc before taking her spot on the muddy court. Ew, her opinion of Edwards's fraternity brother had just dropped. She wasn't a huge fan of the guy, but he could seriously do better than that. Chancing a glance at Rebecca she could practically feel the heat radiating from her anger. For someone who said she could care less, it seemed like she cared a whole lot.

Olivia spun the volley ball in her hands, her eyes following Solaris. "I hate sororities like this, no wonder we get a bad name. Let's settle the score."

Rebecca answered with narrowed eyes. "Couldn't agree more."

The match was on and they were giving it everything they had. Winry dove face first into the mud; her hands outstretched barely enough to volley it back into play. Flinching at the cuts that were now soaked again in mud she tried to rationalize why this game was worth sacrificing her body but one look at her teammates did her in. They too looked pretty banged up but there wasn't a single quitter out there and at this point she was willing to keep at it just a little longer.

With a final serve and a missed dive it was all over. The girls laughed and hugged in exuberant celebration. It felt good to win at something, to know that your hard work had paid off.

Walking over to the fireman she braced for the cold water as the volunteer firefighter helped hose them all off. Winry wrung out her hair still feeling filthy but albeit a little cleaner than before. She declined a few rides back to her dorm when she caught sight of Ed waiting for her. He motioned towards his car and she complied with a grateful nod. Dragging her feet she plopped down in the passenger seat, closing her eyes as she tilted her head back against the seat. "Is this week over yet?"

"Not even close." He muttered in equal disdain.

"Ugh. I despise the person who decided Greek Week should fall right before exam week."

Ed chuckled, "Yeah and I despise the guy who thought up final exam week."

They were quiet on the drive back, the radio filling the silence and slowly luring Winry to sleep. Feeling sluggish and sore she followed Ed into their dorm without even looking up. Holding up her hand in a wave they parted ways, leaving her the choice of taking a nice hot shower or simply collapsing into bed. Wearily she glanced at the pile of homework on her desk and decided with an irritated scowl that she was going to regret not doing it but sleep was clearly the easiest choice.

**(Rose)**

Rose laid her hand on her stomach, the fear growing the more she put it off. "What should I do?"

The female doctor looked up from her charts, a hard look in her eyes. "Well, at this point you still have options."

Fingering the layer of paper on the examination table she shifted uncomfortably.

A warm hand suddenly rested atop hers, halting her restless hands. "The probability of your child being born with your late husband's disease is actually closer to zero. It is the female that carries the gene and since you are not a carrier it is safe to predict the child in question will be born without that particular issue. Assuming all goes well there is no reason to believe that you shouldn't give birth to a perfectly healthy child."

Rose could feel the guilt dragging her down, pulling at her frayed edges and watching them unravel. "I-I'm not sure…" she choked on the words that couldn't surface."

The woman nodded with a squeeze to her hand. "It's still early enough that the clinic could terminate the pregnancy-"

Her body tensed up but the doctor continued as if this sort of thing were routine and most likely it was. "Adoption is also another avenue we could discuss."

"I'm not ready to be a mom." She spoke at last, her voice shaky and higher in pitch.

The doctor nodded her head, "I'm afraid most parents feel the same in the beginning. Can I make a suggestion?"

Rose hated the draft that chilled her through the thinly layered hospital gown, her only comfort the wool socks on her feet. "Please." She practically begged.

"Talk to your parents before you make your final choice."

They might as well be perfect strangers for as much as she had relied on them as parents. Aside from the few times she had talked with her father about money for sorority dues and her tuition there had been very little effort to communicate. She had once gone to her parents for everything but now it felt as if the rift between them had grown too big, too fast.

Eloping with Kain had broken their hearts and news of his death had made them confident in their beliefs that god hadn't wanted them to be together. Of all the sick and twisted ways to morph religion Rose was not ready to find out what her latest news might bring out in them.

The Alpha Zeta house had been quiet for at least a half hour, the girls already on their way to Greek Week events. She had watched them get ready with an emptiness that hollowed out her heart. It felt like yesterday she was gossiping with these girls about trivial things, things that no longer held up to the issues that clotted her mind. The self-conscious girl who had walked through these doors had hidden behind parties and boys in an attempt squash that insignificant person she wanted so desperately to forget existed. Who was she now? A walking cliché, a girl who had fallen in love in a whirlwind of poor decisions and was now paying the price?

Her hand fell to her stomach, a flat surface that could fool anyone but her. She was carrying a piece of someone she thought had left her for good. Rose had pleaded, begged god to bring him back and here was the answer to her prayers. It just wasn't the answer she was looking for.

This wasn't supposed to happen; his disease shouldn't have let this happen. But that's the thing about 99%, there's still that one percent that's unaccounted for and it made all the difference in her world. She was two months pregnant which would only serve to appease those who might be quick to judge. Two months traced it to right after she and Kain were married, thank goodness for that. At least her parents couldn't deny her its legitimacy, no matter how hard they had fought her against her shotgun wedding. Rubbing the back of her hand against her wet eyes she chewed on her lower lip. College was supposed to be the best years of her life, the true freedom to do whatever she pleased and live life on the wild side. But this wasn't that life, this was hitting rock bottom, coming up for air and then being pushed right back under.

Strange to feel so alone when you know there's another life growing right inside of you. Without sisters to talk to she had tried calling Winry, but the voicemail left her feeling foolish. This was Greek Week, of course Winry would be busy. She played with her phone, the idea of calling her parents not far from her mind.

They would find out soon enough, the insurance claims from her hospital visits were bound to elicit some kind of inquiry. With a heavy heart she dialed home and waited for some kind of answer.

**(Gracia)**

There was stiffness in her joints, a weariness in her bones that was born from a lack of sleep and exhaustive physical challenges. "This used to be fun." She leaned back against her fiancé as he massaged her shoulders.

"The massage or Greek Week?' He asked teasingly.

"Hmm let me think…" When his hands stopped their work she chuckled, quickly correcting herself. "Greek Week of course."

Maes eventually stopped, his arms resting over her shoulders, holding her closer to his body. "Things sure haven't been easy. Dean Bradley has been on Marc's back all week and these incidents certainly aren't helping our case. First Falman gets drugged at Quizbowl, then the Alpha Chi house is vandalized, Tau Kappa Delta just reported someone slit the tires on all the cars parked in their lot and Delta Tau had to forfeit the variety show because someone sabotaged all their costumes and props. "

Ever since Maes was shot nothing seemed safe to her. She was constantly second guessing things and worrying. It didn't help that Maes was on IFC, a board that appeared to have a curse when it came to its members. "Do you have any idea who is doing all this?"

His chin rested on top of her head, "Roy thinks it's another fraternity."

"And what do you think?" She asked in spite of the obvious answer.

There was an audible exhale before he responded. "I agree and as much as I don't want to point fingers, I think Delta Iota Kappa is on the top of the list."

Gracia shuddered involuntarily, the goose bumps rising on her arm as she thought of Kimbley, a former Delta Iota Kappa. She was of the opinion that Delta Tau boys were womanizers, TKD's were know-it-alls, Alpha Chi's were brawny, Lambda Sigma's were slackers but the men of Delta Iota Kappa were something else entirely but was that reason enough to suspect them?

"Let's not talk about politics." He murmured against her neck, the whine in his voice alluding to all the stress he was under.

Well, there was something else she had wanted to discuss with him. "So, have you decided what you're doing for your bachelor party?"

"Me, decide?" He chuckled, "Between Havoc and Mustang I don't necessarily think I have a choice. But I do want to go on record as saying I didn't even want one in the first place."

That was news to her, "What do you mean?"

Maes started to play with her hair. "I don't need to celebrate the last night as a bachelor as if it's something to be cherished."

Maes had been best friends with Roy before they had met, and lately she knew their friendship had been strained. That boy needed a friend like her Maes. "That's silly babe, it's a night for you to have fun with your boys. I think you and Roy could use some time together. I trust you."

"Of course you can trust me; it's those guys I'm worried about. Have your girls planned your bachelorette party?"

Bachelorette party? Yeah, that part of her wedding plans had been pushed to the backburner. Riza was still sort of moping over Roy, Olivia was steadfast in her efforts for the Greek Week title taking Rebecca with her and Winry…Winry was already in over her head with volunteering, school and work. "Maybe you're right let's just forget this stupid tradition." Their wedding was so close to graduation that it was only now starting to dawn on her how much planning and work still needed to be done before then.

**(Havoc)**

She was truly a striking girl, one that most couldn't take their eyes off of, but Jean needed to keep his wits about him.

"You're not paying attention to me." She purred coquettishly.

Jean kept ignoring her, opting to finish reading the final sentence on the page. Putting down his highlighter he marked the page and gave his undivided attention to his girlfriend. "I told you I'm not good company right now. I _need_ to study."

"Yeah, and I'm _bored._" She insisted.

"Well little lady, go find yourself something to do other than bugging me. I need to finish taking notes for class tomorrow and you're not helping."

Solaris brushed his book and supplies off the table in one quick swipe, the palms of her hands hammering down upon the surface. "Little lady? Fuck you Jean! " She announced in a loud and rather abrasive fashion.

He could really go for a cigarette right about now. "I already have fucked you!" He shouted back without remorse, especially since it was clear the entire library wasn't even trying to pretend they weren't eavesdropping anymore.

Solaris grinned wide before busting out into laughter. "I really hate you sometimes."

He gestured towards the mess of his stuff on the floor. "Clearly!"

She paid him no mind, "My DIK boys are partying tonight, you better show up."

Ugh, he had forgotten about that. He was not a big fan of the Delta Iota Kappa boys that were her so called friends but she could be ridiculous in the best of times so he agreed with a wave of his hand. "The sooner you leave the sooner I'm done."

She leaned in like she might kiss him but pulled back quickly her face scrunched up in dislike. "Fine, just don't bring your friends, kay? The fat guy with red hair looks at me weird and Roy Mustang keeps trying to get in my pants."

He flinched, the last part startling him. "Wait, what?"

"Just show up boo." She announced haughtily.

Jean knew she was dramatic but he had definitely heard her mention Roy. He thought about Suzy and all the other girls who had gotten themselves involved with his fraternity brother. Shit, there had been quite a few prior to Riza…did that mean Solaris was one of them? He stooped down to pick up his books and came up in time to see that at least two librarians were giving him dirty looks. Mentally he crossed off the idea of taking Solaris with him to study anymore because asides from the librarians he was also receiving several other death stares from fellow students. _Right_. Thumbing through his book he found the page he had left off on and began to read.

His head pounding with useless information, courtesy of his philosophy textbook, he called it quits and headed home. Stopping by the frat house he dropped off his book bag and threw on a nicer shirt, one that didn't look as if it had been slept on.

"Going somewhere?"

Jean looked up on his way out, his eyes focusing in the dim light on Maes Hughes. He was surprised to find his brother up at this hour. "Yeah, just heading over to the DIK house."

Hughes must have fallen asleep on the couch because he had to fumble around for a moment for his glasses. "The Delta Iota Kappa house? This late?"

Pulling out his phone he stared at the digital 12:45am. "Yup, they're Sol's buddies."

Maes had a knack for making one feel guilty about not walking a straight line. "Really? It is Greek Week Jean and I know for a fact you have class in the morning…"

"Yes mother, anything else?"

Hughes stretched and stood up from the couch, extending to his full height. "Call us if you need a ride home." He replied looking a distinct, guilt inducing, disappointed.

He felt like a real shmuck, Maes _was _just looking out for him. Purposely slowing his steps he tried to take the bite out of his words. "Yeah, will do."

The walk was easy; the Delta Iota Kappa house was just at the end of the block. Arriving at the front door he was surprised to find that it really didn't seem like a party was happening. And here he thought these boys were the type, if he was in charge the walls would already be shaking with bass and the kegs would be halfway gone. But this rather quiet house seemed almost eerie in its silence. Glancing up at the letters he doubted himself for a second, but one look confirmed it, this was the DIK house.

Feeling a little awkward he resigned himself to a pathetic knock on the door. The response was sluggish and while he could hear stirrings within the house it still took more than a few minutes before someone answered.

He swallowed back a rather inappropriate comment as a mammoth of a man opened the door. "Uh hey." Scratching the back of his neck he tried out a smile, "I'm with Solaris?"

The man grunted like Lurch and proceeded to step aside, allowing him entrance. Damn, did he even want to go in now?

"There you are! I thought I might have to hook up with big boy." She nodded her head towards a blob of a man who was currently spaced out on the couch, eyeing _his _girl with a hungry gaze. Awkward was an understatement.

"Come on." She took his hand and guided him upstairs into an unoccupied bedroom. Before she could start to undress he grabbed her wrists.

"Jesus Sol, give me a minute."

Her auburn hair fell over her shoulders as she leaned forward, her mouth thinning in warning. "_Jean_…"

"Babe I'm all for it, really, but right now? Right here?" He chuckled at her antics. "It might not be weird for you but this isn't my fraternity house and this really isn't a party. Why don't we just go back to my place, or yours?" He asked with a hint of a plea.

She pouted like he was asking something sincerely unreasonable of her. "Don't play games with me Jean Havoc."

He let her kiss him, but when his pants were pulled down he came back to his senses. "Whose room are we even in? Oh…ah…" He pushed her back, his teeth grinding against each other. "I'm not doing this is some guys room."

She knelt down her eyes flashing. "Don't be a pussy, its Zolf's old room." Her hands grabbed him. "So obviously is unoccupied for the moment."

He was a weak man and women were his kryptonite. Now Solaris was a real woman, there would be no resisting her…fuck it all.

Their efforts exhausted, he found himself giving in and staying just a little bit longer. With her arm around his waist they descended down the stairs and into the living room. Now he understood what his girlfriend had meant by party. When they finally managed to make it back down they found a group settled down, mostly Delta Iota Kappa's, but there were quite a few of Solaris's sisters as well. The amount of substances on the coffee table might allude to a larger gathering but the group seemed to already be making a dent in it.

Taking up a vacant seat on a couch he felt a little relieved that most of the people in the room seemed too preoccupied to pay him any attention. Solaris sat on his lap, her body hunched over as she worked at rolling a new joint on the table. Lighting the end he watched as she took a long drag, held in the smoke until it was unbearable and let it out with a knowing smirk.

"Come on baby."

Jean stared at what was being offered to him, his conscious having a hard time separating desire from logic. Solaris was an addiction and he was easily losing the fight. In the afterglow of sex he would be hard pressed to not follow her every command but he wasn't sure this was the right place to risk doing that. He wished they could retreat once again to the dark bedroom upstairs.

Taking a hold of the joint he felt a distinct pause in his reactions, but that didn't stop him. He wasn't a prude and it had been awhile since he had a cig. He leaned back against the couch taking a hit; holding the smoke in his lungs before exhaling. Pulling the joint back to his lips he took another long drag, carefully holding the smoke in before releasing it once more. Lazily he handed it off to Solaris, waiting for her daft hands to pluck it form his grasp. His smile widened as she threw a leg over his lap, putting herself in a straddling position against him. It was rather nice to be favored so publicly.

"Take another hit." She spoke in her slow, seductive tone.

It was really unnecessary considering that he was already enraptured by her.

He followed her orders allowing the smoke to snake its way into his lungs. His girlfriend leaned forward, her hands sliding down the side of his face tugging him closer. She brought her mouth close to his, shot gunning the thick curl of smoke that poured from his lips.

"Where did you learn something like that?" He pondered in wonderment, his fingers touching her hair.

"You'd be amazed at all the things I know." She replied in a low voice.

He wasn't sure what time it was or how long he had been in the DIK house. The guys had stopped staring at him like he was an intruder; thankfully their gazes had shifted to some of Sigma Iota Nu girls. Solaris stroked his cheek once before stealing the blunt he was finishing off. Taking her turn she choked a little on her exhale before laughing. "You're eyes are so fucking red."

Jean continued to stare at her hair; he wondered how many strands of hair it took to make such a beautiful head of hair. And what about the hair follicles themselves, how did they produce a strand of hair? What if he was a cell in the human body, what kind of cell would he be?

Something tinkled like a little warning bell, a mental alarm that was trying to wake him up to something in his subconscious. Was there something he was supposed to be doing?

Nope. He was sailing for all he knew, as light as a feather without a care in the world.

Instead of freaking out he sank further down into a slouch. "My eyes are red? Is that what happens in photos? Are people really just blown out of their minds and blaming it on lighting crap?" How were there so many questions, questions that were so important they needed an answer?

Why hadn't he spent time looking for these answers?

Jesus, how much of his life had he wasted not asking these questions?

Was he the only one in the world who realized how important these questions were? And if he was the only person in the world who knew...than did that make him some kind of future hero or did that make him a villain? Maybe if he was a superhero he could have x-ray vision and then if he broke a bone he'd know for sure. That could really save him some money; maybe his health insurance would be cheaper if they knew he could perform the test himself. But shit, would his x-ray vision cause him cancer? That didn't sound like something he would like.

"Fucking stoners." Came the voice of Envy, a friend of Solaris, as he watched them from across the room. "Pass that thing before it's cashed."

Havoc rolled his tongue around in his mouth, tasting the stagnant value of the smoke. This was more of a want than a need, right? He needed his cigarettes but now he was left wanting for another joint. That's the thing about weed; it had a way of making things really fucking crystal clear.

Now what time was it?

He had somewhere to be, but where the hell it was he needed to be baffled him. "I'm like that damn rabbit from Alice in Wonderland." He waved his hands in a pretend panic, "I'm late I'm late, I'm really fucking late!"

Greed cackled loudly in what he assumed was as close to a laugh as the guy was going to come. "Can't compare the two…the rabbit didn't swear."

"Minor details." He retorted as if he really was standing up for himself in a valid argument. He was beginning to see why Solaris was friends with these Delta Iota Kappa's, they had some good stuff. But the whole weird nickname thing was bugging him. Why did they need to be named after sins? Gluttony and sloth had made him laugh but when they called his girlfriend lust he felt a prick of jealousy. He had been a little surprised to find his girlfriend so chummy with them, especially after the whole Zolf Kimbley incident at the beginning of the year. Weren't these guys his brothers, didn't that make them equally creepy?

Shit, his brain fucking hurt. No more thinking…except about food. Food and Solaris…those were two delicious things.

"Shouldn't you be getting some sleep, wouldn't want you to fuck up Greek Week." Envy grinned around each word.

Jean shrugged, "Shouldn't you?"

"We-" He gestured to him and the other few DIK's in the room. "Are on probation with the University."

"And?"

Solaris tugged at his shirt, practically pulling him on top of her. "They can't compete dummy."

"Oh." He rubbed his eyes feeling the smog of a nice buzz.

His girlfriend sat up, her hand reaching out to collect something out of Envy's hands. Unclenching her fist she dropped a small white pill into his hand, swallowing the other without a second thought. "What's this?" He asked in apprehension.

"Fun."

He glanced around and noticed most of the other people there had already taken them. Feeling at ease he swallowed his and resumed what he thought was probably the most intelligent conversation he had ever participated in.

**(Alex)**

He was feeling defiant and exuberant and all the things that one should feel as he adorned nothing but his brilliantly blue speedo suit. Sitting in the dunk tank he lavished the attention and grinned in good humor as spectators tried their aim. It was the final Greek Week event, the charity carnival.

His fraternity had built a dunk tank, with the help of that genius girl, Winry Rockbell. His brother Edward had a beautiful mechanic who had proven she had quite the skill when it came to tools. He grinned wickedly at the image of Ed turning red at the suggestion Roy had made about her being good with her hands. Blissfully unaware of his predicament he swung his feet to the beat provided by the tunes Fuery was mixing.

"Oh this is too good to pass up."

He grinned down at the girl putting down money. "Olivia, my dear sister!"

Breda handed her three balls but she refused all but one. "Keep the change, I only need one for this." She lined up her shot, "What charity are you whoring yourself out for this time little brother?"

"Food for the homeless, get it-" He gestured magnanimously to the sign on their table, "Knock out hunger!"

Olivia laughed, "Who thought up that idea?"

Heymans snorted, "It was _his_ idea."

There was a twitch in her features as she scowled. "I have no idea how we're related." It only took a split second before her throw hit its intended target and Alex was dropped from his bench in a cannonball like splash.

Coming up for air he watched his sister leave but noticed that Miles was grinning in his direction as he left some money in their collection jar. "Good luck guys." He offered with an easy smile that made his sister roll her eyes but Alex noticed she still held onto his hand.

Alex beamed despite being soaking wet, his sister had picked a mighty good man.

Speaking of a mighty good man, where had Garfiel snuck off to? He couldn't wait for Jean to come and pick up his shift in the dunk tank so he could stroll this festive day with that beautiful man.

**(Ed)**

Alpha Mu had set up a ring toss tent, their prizes consisting of lion plushies with little Central University sweatshirts. He could really care less about winning, but Winry was standing there he wondered if winning her one of those was something a boyfriend was supposed to do. He was about to pass it by altogether when he noticed why his girlfriend hadn't moved.

Her eyes were trained on the 'Make-a-Wish' sign the brothers had put up. It was no surprise that they had chosen their late brothers favorite charity, but without meaning to he knew it stirred up bad memories. Hell he even rubbed his shoulder as the memory of that night made his blood run cold. The fairy tale ball had been the beginning of their nightmare and he knew he wasn't the only one who thought about that dark basement and what that psychotic man had done.

Instead of lingering in the past he made up his mind and pulled out his wallet. Giving his money to one of the Alpha Mu brothers he was determined to give Winry a good memory, even if the best he could do for right now was winning a silly stuffed animal.

She laughed, the large stuffed lion needing both her arms to hold it up. "You really didn't have to get this for me."

That was true, he didn't need to do anything, but he wanted to. So he had spent a pretty penny trying to win it, at least he got it for her. Shrugging his shoulders he ignored the knowing look in her eyes.

He was surprised to feel her lips against his cheek followed by a soft 'thank you'.

They rode a few carnival rides, the ring of fire quickly becoming his least favorite. Looking at his watch he grabbed her hand and began to jog with her in tow.

"Ed!" She complained.

"Come on." He continued, increasing his pace little by little until they arrived at the large wheel, its lights still twinkling in the dark sky.

"Last riders! Last ride of the night!" A worker called out into the night.

Winry sighed, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "You're a real softie aren't you?"

Ed snorted, even as he fully recognized that he was turning into a sap at the moment. He paid the man and helped her get into the bucket that would take them to the top.

He slid into the spot next to her, taking the time to push a few loose hairs behind her ears. Leaning back he enjoyed the slow ride up until it was finally their turn to admire the full view. "I'm going to miss this."

Winry leaned over him for a moment, her gaze on his view of the grounds. "It is really beautiful up here, but you know the amusement park is open all summer and they have a Ferris wheel just like this."

"That's not what I meant." He leaned his elbows against his thighs, letting his hands dangle between his legs. "School ends in less than a month and you and I..." He cleared his throat. "I mean I'll still be here and you're going back to Resembool aren't you?"

His girlfriend frowned, her arms crossing over her chest. "You mean you don't plan on visiting me?"  
"Well of course I'm coming to visit you-"

"Well then that's that." She interrupted, "I'm sure granny has plenty of work for you to do." She said as if he would believe that was her real motive.

"I can't stay for the whole summer." He admitted wishing she would stop being tough and let him know how she really felt about this. "But whatever I'm sure I'll be busy causing problems for my old man." Closing his eyes he waited for her to take the bait.

Winry touched his chest. Ed cracked an eye open to find her eyes cast down as she sat closer. "I know…I'll miss you too." She said softly. "You're such a pain in the ass sometimes, how could I not?"

Scowling he kissed her roughly knowing that she was now teasing him. "Unhuh, less talking, more kissing."

**(Maes)**

No answer. That's what everyone who tried to reach Jean got. Heymans was downright pissed and Maes could certainly emphasize with the feeling. Jean had been struggling this year with grades but his commitment to BTA had never been in question…until now. Each member of the fraternity had volunteered for construction, setup or operation of their dunk tank for the Greek Week charity fair. Havoc was one of four guys that had volunteered to sit in the dunk tank but seeing as both Alex and Roy had put in an extra hour it had now fallen on Breda to sit out the remainder of what should have been Jean's turn.

He was a man of patience and overwhelming forgiveness but something about Jean was wearing his temperament down. The guy was about as lost as a freshman on campus. Since when did Jean Havoc or any Beta Tau Alpha for that matter befriend the guys found in Delta Iota Kappa? Delta Iota Kappa's were a shady group that gave fraternities a bad name. Those guys were bad news bears and certainly not the kind of people Jean needed to associate with if he wanted to get back on track.

Breda grunted heavily as he heaved himself back up on the plank, his body soaked. This was about the fifteenth person to hit the bull's-eye and he could tell that Heymans was growing more irritable with every passing second.

"I'm sick of this shit."

He was startled from his thoughts as Heymans jumped down from the tank, throwing a towel over his shoulders. Maes could feel the tantrum brewing and wondered what he could possibly do to prevent a scene. "Now's not the time Breda." He warned wisely.

"When I'm president things are going to change around here." He answered with a definitive echo of resolution. "We've come in second for the last damn time, it's time we trimmed off the dead weight around here."

Maes raised his eyebrows.

Heymans lips thinned, "I meant that figuratively."

"Well I think our first plan of action is to find him before you go writing an expulsion letter."

**(Havoc)**

His head was pounding; the room felt like it was pulsating with pressure. Sitting up he looked around the room that was now bathed in a dim light from cracked blinds. Was the sun rising or setting? There was a mussed spot next to him but no sign of his lustful girlfriend. Dragging the palms of his hands down his face he moaned out a sigh followed by a cavernous yawn. This was a fucking nightmare. Fishing around on the floor he pieced together his outfit and managed to sift through his pockets to find his phone. Dead battery, shit.

Heading downstairs his heart dropped, the dizzy feeling in his body slowly switching to a heat. A heat of anger that surged through him at the sight of Solaris lying atop that blob of a DIK, wasn't his nickname gluttony?

"What the fuck?"

Sitting up slowly Solaris rolled off him, her hands slowly pulling her dress back down to cover her underwear. Stretching she threw her hair back over her shoulder as if she were awakening from a pleasant dream. "Jean."

At a loss he simply stared from her to the still unconscious Gluttony. "You spent the night down here, with him?"

"Yes." She replied lamely. "You passed out too fucking early, I got bored."

Did she not see the problem here? Hell, his head was hurting too bad to be thinking so hard. "Whatever Sol, I got to go."

"Go? Go where?"

He was seriously annoyed. "Anywhere but here."

That woke her up, the heavy lidded gaze widened and he was tempted to wipe that unimpressed look off her face. Who was she to act self-righteous right about now?

"Are you jealous?" She inquired.

"Of him?" That was a laugh.

"He's just a friend Jean; don't get your panties tied up in a bunch. I thought you weren't like those boring BTA guys…come on. Didn't we have fun last night?" She was already in his space, her hands up under his shirt.

Stepping away from her touch he didn't meet her piercing eyes. She was turning into a broken record and he was too messed up right now to take it. "I need to go, I'll call you later."

The walk back to his fraternity house was rough and by the way the sun was beating down from above he was embarrassed to think it might be a bit past noon. Walking through the front door he was surprised to find his brothers moping around the living room.

Denny was the first to notice him, his eyes widening followed by a rather booming condemnation that could only come from one guy. "Look who decided to show up."

Turning towards Roy he grimaced. "Funny."

"Where have you been?" Maes interjected as he stood up from his seat on the couch.

Still feeling short fused he made a face. "You saw me leave last night genius, I told you I was going to the DIK house with Sol."

"No, you told that to me on Friday night, its now Sunday." Maes deadpanned.

Havoc flinched, his insides doing a flip. Maes Hughes didn't pull pranks on people, not in a situation like this. "It's Sunday?"

Breda stood up, his face mirroring the disappointment of the rest of his brothers. "Yes and no thanks to you we barely managed to scrape second place in Greek Week. And you wonder why you didn't get a position." He muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" He spoke forcefully, pissed off that his brothers were coming at him like this.

Maes stepped between them looking much older than the two years he actually was. "Come on Heymans."

Their future president looked like he still had quite a bit to say but he relented with a begrudging roll of his eyes. Jean fought the urge to rub it in his face.

"Explain." Roy confronted him, an uneasy look about him.

Jean knew he should probably tell the truth but he could imagine the disappointment, the judgment and suddenly his carefree time with Solaris made him feel dirty. Overwhelmed and out of it he shrugged his shoulders. "I wish I could."

"Try." Mustang spoke through gritted teeth.

He wasn't about to be bullied into this. Backing himself towards the front door he shook his head. "Maybe later." He knew when he slammed the door he was digging himself into a bigger hole but he was on a roll and it was too late now.

* * *

**Next Chapter: Grow Up**

The brothers of BTA know that second chances are a given, but some members are already on their third and fourth and to some it's growing tiresome. Final exams take the pressure of being a student up to a new level as underclassmen struggle to make it to the next level and seniors work to end it right. With a wedding on the horizon the gang looks forward to what will be a bachelor/bachelorette party to be remembered.


	24. Grow Up

**Chapter 24: Grow Up**

**(Maes)**

It was a difficult position to be in, especially when the timing was so incredibly bad, but that didn't make it okay to give in. He was still Vice President until the end of the school year and it was his duty to take matters like this up to his Judicial Board. Looking around at the brothers available for the meeting he spread his notes out in front of him. There was a representative from each of the four classes on their J-Board. Denny was a freshman, Scott was their sophomore, Austin their Junior and Falman was currently representing for the senior class. According to national bylaws the Vice President was responsible for handpicking a member from each class to serve on the Judicial Board as a council of peers. This was in place so that whenever a case came up he could call both his Board and the member in question to what should be an honest hearing. This year Maes had decided to choose guys without positions for a specific reason. He wanted a real opinion; one that wouldn't be tainted by all that the executive board was aware of. It's hard to see another side when you're so thoroughly invested on one.

"We have two letters written, both sending Jean Havoc to the Board. As I see it, Jean missed four meetings and almost all of Greek Week. Judging on what facts we _do_ have, this is an attendance matter for now."

Falman rubbed at the stubble on his chin looking concerned, "You're calling him for attendance?" He looked remarkably alert for someone so lethargic. "We all know he was on something when he showed up here to pay his dues. Nationals aren't just going to let him go with a slap on the wrist."

Maes knew that, he knew Havoc had been doing something, but he knew there was also a whole lot of guilt and a budding sense of regret that was already eating away at him. Jean never did things the easy way and it always came to back to haunt him. He thought about his younger brother Wally, about how he too seemed to walk with his head in the clouds, ignoring all the warning signs along the way. Just thinking about his younger brother set his resolve. He would hope someone would give Wally a second and maybe a third chance. He just knew pushing Jean away at a time like this was not in their brother's best interest. The kid could use a good brother watching over his shoulder and he knew no matter how tough Jean acted, that boy was still as lost in the big city as he ever was.

For once, he ignored the knowing looks on his council as he finished the paperwork. "It's an attendance matter; we'll hold his meeting on the 28th at 5pm."

Feeling anxious he stepped outside, grabbing his jacket as he went. The street lights had already come on and there were a few fraternity houses showing signs of a good time. He kept on walking, ignoring the calls as he continued down the street towards the Kappa Delta house.

He could ring the doorbell, any of the girls would recognize him and let him up, but he didn't want to talk to just anyone. Thinking about Havoc's predicament made him appreciate more than ever how lucky he was to have someone who made him want to be a better man.

Picking up some pebbles he stood outside her window and threw a few. The soft tinkling against the glass finally caught someone's attention. He swallowed hard as Olivia's stone cold glare met his. He silently said goodbye to life as he knew it. The window opened and he tried his best to appear as charming as possible.

"You've got to be kidding me...are you being serious Maes?" She grumbled.

He nodded his head in affirmation and watched as Olivia huffed before being pushed out of the way.

"Maes!" Gracia beamed at him, the small dimple on her left cheek standing out. She laughed as he grinned back at her. "What are you doing out there?"

"Come to confess my undying love?" He gestured magnanimously with his hands.

He thought he heard Olivia make a gagging noise in the background.

"Silly." His fiancé held up her left hand, the engagement ring catching the light. "I'm already taken."

"Oh? Are you sure this man is worthy of your attentions?" He asked jokingly.

She leaned on the windowsill her head falling into the palm of her hand with a dreamy expression on her face. "Oh but he's so handsome." She drawled out like a lovesick teenage girl.

Maes straightened his spine, enjoying the complement. "So this guy, he's just good to look at?"

Gracia faced him full on and even with the distance between them she still looked like she was reading his mind. "He's a good man, a better man than I could have ever dreamed of."

"Sounds too good to be true."He offered realistically.

"He likes to think so, but I trust him to follow that good heart of his and it always leads him down the right path."

This was why he knew there wasn't a luckier man on the planet; other girls just couldn't compare. It must be hard being so undeniably beautiful inside and out.

"He's a lucky man to have someone like you."

She tilted her head slightly to the side, a bemused grin on her face. "You think so?"

"I know so."

Shaking his head he watched as she disappeared from his sight and then she was there, running full speed into his waiting arms.

**(Havoc)**

There were two things on his desk, a note reminding him about Hughes bachelor party and a letter calling him to Beta Tau Alpha's Judicial Board. He leaned his palms against the surface, exhaling long and hard. He was pissed off and ready for a fight. Crumpling up both sheets of paper, he stormed out of the house in a wave of frustration.

On his way out of the house he was already calling Solaris, hoping she could be able to help him clear his head and maybe forget the past few days. She was good at making him forget things but for the first time he was banking on the idea that she might just hear him out. He found them a secluded corner in his favorite cafe while the waitress poured them each a steaming cup of coffee. Solaris had an annoyed look on her face as she sat across the table from him. Folding his hands in front of him he listened to her heels tapping the bar of her stool restlessly.

"I don't know why you like it here." She mused in a tone that suggested she found herself superior.

Havoc scratched behind his ear, thinking that this was possibly his favorite café and she was insulting it. Rebecca had high standards and she liked it well enough and it had become his go to place when he was feeling offbeat. The fraternity house had been his original place, but that wasn't much of an option now. "I like it here." He defended the old, but rather homey place.

He watched her red lips leave a mark on the edge of her cup, a frown still impressed upon her face. "If you're looking for coffee we could have just picked it up at The Grind. The stuff here tastes like tar." She smacked her lips before pushing away the half empty glass. "So why are we wasting our time here instead of going back to your dorm?"

The idea was tempting but he had something he needed to get off his chest. He was still coming off the drugs they had taken the night before and while Solaris never seemed afflicted he didn't like the way he felt in the morning. He was sluggish, irritable, and worst of all he felt needy. The coffee was currently helping him ease the need and he was thankful for the familiar sense of comfort the café welled up inside him whether it was conscious or not. "I just wanted to talk to you is all."

She crossed her arms over her chest with an eyebrow raised, "Talk? Baby why would we just talk when we can go do something worthwhile? Don't get boring on me now."

The blood rushed to his head, constantly having to please his girlfriend was getting tiresome. "Just so we're on the same page here, do you actually even care about me?"

"Define care." She responded snidely.

Well that wasn't the answer he wanted, but it was probably the answer he should have expected. But in his defense he was a male and she was an attractive female. That alone was enough to make his brain malfunction. Getting with her was a good idea, but making her his girlfriend was decidedly one of the stupidest things he had done in a while. "You know, actually giving a shit about what I'm going through?"

"I came here didn't I?"

"Forget it." He hit his fresh pack of cigarettes against the palm of his hand a few times before picking one out. "I really don't want to argue with you anymore."

She glared daggers at him, "You're pathetic Jean."

He took a long drag of his cigarette before meeting her stony gaze. "I am." He admitted thinking about how he had dropped everything for a girl who gave him nothing of real value in return. "But at least I know I can change."

She grabbed her cup of coffee and with one swift movement had managed to leave its contents on the front of his shirt. With a scary grin she got up and stomped her way through the café and out the door, every eye but his watching her leave.

He took a few napkins and tried to sponge away the lukewarm coffee off his shirt but it was already spoiled. What a childish girl she was and what an even bigger idiot he had been. The rose colored glasses were off and he was thinking he had really screwed things up this time.

**(Gracia)**

Bachelorette parties made her mildly uncomfortable in the past but at her sorority sister's insistence, here she was. She was not comfortable with images of random naked men or male genitalia everywhere, especially not wearing a crown full of them, but to her immense relief Olivia was a classy woman and had taken this occasion to show it off. Not to mention the fact that Riza had assured her it was all in good taste. Their group consisted of herself and her bridesmaids, Olivia, Riza, Rebecca, Winry and Maria. She figured Olivia could have invited some of the other sorority girls but it was nice to have a little bonding time with her girls before the wedding.

Sinking further down into the hot water she wasn't sure it was physically possibly to feel so carefree. The large hot tub that branched off from the Armstrong Olympic size, indoor pool, was pure heaven.

"Ladies." A deep male voice purred like a fine tuned violin.

Startled, she covered herself as if her bathing suit clad body was something to be embarrassed of.

Standing in a very tiny black speedo, neck adorned with a strapping bow tie, was a physically outstanding specimen of a man holding out a tray of martinis. She had a feeling this was Rebecca's idea but she didn't miss the devious smile on the hostesses face.

"Drink up." Olivia advised with that signature twinkle in her eye. "There is much more where that came from."

The sheer amount of wealth that one family could possess rendered her speechless. Sure she knew the Armstrong family was well to do, but this bachelorette party was exceeding anything she could have dreamed up. After a nice soak in the hot tub, they were treated to massages, manicures, facials and now makeovers seemed to be next on their agenda.

Somewhere between the hair and makeup she had gotten drunk and now she was feeling guilt free as she danced up on a raised platform in the middle of a club. The house beat was easy to follow and she let her hips sway with a newfound freedom. Maybe she was dancing a little too loose because the next thing she knew a very large man was cradling her in his arms and the rest of the club was roaring in excitement about some great catch. So how did she end up off the platform and into this man's arms? Ahh…now that was silly, she sort of remembered falling and the unrestrained feeling of flying. Still ready to dance some more she tapped on his shoulder to put her down and when she went to say thank you somehow she ended up kissing him on the cheek. Oh well.

The girls had watched them like they were the center of attention, or maybe they were nervous about something because they kept exchanging _those_ kinds of glances. But she had made a new friend, his name was Cody…or Joey or some kind Odie. Grinning she held out her hand, confused as to why he was laughing at the sight of her ring.

"What?"

"Doll, I'm not interested in that." He answered with a cheeky grin and pulled her into him, his mouth at her ear. "What do you say we get out of here?" He asked in a husky whisper.

"I'd say it's time you found somewhere else to be." Olivia announced her hand firmly on the man's shoulder.

The big Odie man grimaced, his mouth opening and shutting just as quickly. Then he was standing up and without another word he got himself lost amongst the crowd. Gracia didn't care that he was gone; she was more in awe of Olivia. The guy had listened to her as if he were a dog obeying his master and when considering that he was nearly twice her size, that was really something.

Rebecca pulled the half empty cocktail from her grasp, attempting to get her to stand. "Come on you silly girl, let's get you home."

Still blissfully content she followed along with them, wondering if her mouth would start to hurt if she smiled much more. Flopping ungracefully into the back of the limousine with her sisters, she marveled at the pretty lights that dotted the ceiling while the girls began to pass around the last few bottles of champagne. How much had they all had to drink? It occurred to her that this could go on record as one of her biggest binges ever. Go big or go home, wasn't that what Olivia lived by?

"Are you nervous?" Winry asked, her eyes bright with questions and a slight slur to her drunken words. "Getting married is a pretty big deal."

There couldn't have been a better moment to express just what this night had reminded her of. Even with guys watching her from the sidelines she never once though she was missing out on anything important. "I've been waiting my whole life to marry him." She flushed feeling embarrassed by the complete nakedness of the truth. "I always dreamed someone like him was out there."

Olivia snorted, her laughter stifled by the pawing's of both Rebecca and Winry as they batted at her to stop. The oldest Armstrong daughter managed to keep a straight face, shooing away her sisters. "No offense Gracia but there isn't a couple out there that has what you two do. No one falls in love like that anymore."

Flattered as she was to hear it she was thrown off by the confession and the startling realization that maybe she was the only one to be lavished by a loving man. "You mean you don't love Miles?"

Olivia snorted, "As if I'd fall in love, the last thing I need is a ring on my finger weighing me down."

Winry spoke up, her expression soft. "You don't need to be married to love someone."

"Obviously, but I refuse to submit to that ridiculous institution designed to make women subservient." Olivia rolled her eyes like the thought really irked her. "No offense." She added apologetically towards the bride to be.

Gracia was unconvinced because she knew by the way Miles looked at Olivia that she could rest assure that her sorority sister was in love with a man worthy of it. Miles was an honest man with a good heart and when it boiled down to it, that was what the basis of her affection had bloomed from. Maes had been her friend and then it had exploded into possibilities and a future that was now coming to fruition.

Feeling inspired and talkative she thought maybe now was as good of a time as any to make a speech. "I wish you could all be as happy as I am." She looked around feeling the love of a family of sisters she was never born with. "Winry and Edward, Miles and Olivia, Maria and Denny, Rebecca and Havoc, Riza and Mustang." She glowed at the thought, "I hope I get to be in all of your weddings!"

There was a choking sound as the girls in the car sputtered and gasped and eventually ended up in a riot of laughter.

"Denny and I?" Maria asked in a calm voice a little laugh still lingering on her words as she smiled. "Believe me there's nothing going on between us."

"Havoc's a pig, a pig with a stupid girlfriend I might add. So no, I don't think we'll be getting hitched anytime soon." Rebecca added sarcastically.

Olivia just shrugged, "There's a clear fraternization law in the military, sorry to crush your dreams Gracia but Miles and I would never work out."

Gracia turned her hopeful gaze on Riza, believing with all her heart that she deserved a happy ending.

Riza gave her a sympathetic smile. "Don't worry Gracia, if I marry, you will be the first to know. Just don't put your money on the groom being Mustang, I wouldn't."

When everyone had spoken their peace and Gracia had firmly pouted at being shot down they came to the collective conclusion that someone had yet to respond. In fact, Winry hadn't said a word.

"Winry?" She asked, observing their youngest sister draining a glass as if to prolong her own silence.

"She's actually thought about marrying that brat." Rebecca sniggered evilly.

Winry shot back a look at Rebecca before shrugging her shoulders in defeat. "You grow up in Resembool and tell me that the idea of marriage isn't always haunting you. Of course I've thought about if he's the kind of guy I want to be with, why else would I give so much of myself to him?" She tried to defend herself with bright red cheeks.

"Hmm… is it the automail that gets you off?" Olivia asked with a look of indifference.

The group exploded with laughter as Winry blushed harder. "Nn-no…he's hard, like muscle hard and…hey!" She folded her arms across her chest. "Don't put words in my mouth!"

Olivia wagged her brow at Winry. "Oh I'm sure he puts enough in your mouth."

Gracia felt her own cheeks flush, Olivia was on point tonight.

Rebecca opened the last bottle left in the car. "Okay, okay. What I want to know is how Miles is in the sack. Care to share Olivia?"

The wealthy Armstrong poured herself another glass looking content. "I'm satisfied. But this night is all about our bachelorette, so I think the real person we should be asking is Gracia. We all know Maes must be doing something right because our little virgin had more of a bounce to her step after crossing that bridge."

Glad it was only her closest sisters with her, Gracia beamed because every word of it was true. "No complaints here."

Rebecca cleared her throat looking devious. "So both Maes and Miles are worth their weight in gold, what about Roy? Are the rumors about Mustang true?" She stared Riza down.

Uh oh. Was Roy still a taboo topic with Riza? She couldn't remember if those two had made up and if they had, to what extent? It wasn't an ideal situation to fall in love with your childhood friend because neither Riza nor Roy seemed to know how to function properly without the other. Not to say they weren't capable of it just that they weren't at their best. Though it wasn't from lack of trying, Maes had complained that they were often a pair of magnets that sometimes got turned around. To be fair, she had never really been best friends with Maes because by the time they knew each other well enough she had already fallen for him.

She watched in apprehension as Riza downed the contents of her glass before answering.

"It's true." She admitted with a smile finally tugging up the corners of her lips. "It's his mouth that's the real secret."

**(Roy)**

Roy was knocked off balance for a moment as his ears began ringing before he regained control. Damn, either the booze was getting to him or someone was talking about him. If he was lucky it was both he thought with a grin. But tonight wasn't about him…or rather it was more about someone else.

Of course he had made sure this night happened. Ignoring his friend's noble if not insane idea of foregoing a bachelor party, he had actually managed to pull it off. Luckily he wasn't the only one who thoroughly disagreed with the couple's idea of forgetting about bachelor/bachelorette festivities. Both of the Hughes brothers, Frank and Wally, had vouched to abstain from the wedding ceremony if the tradition of a bachelor party was not upheld. These sorts of celebrations were designed for the poor souls that had to deal with the loss of their friend to the clutches of matrimony. It was even more so for the fraternity men who needed a good pick me up, a reason to act like the immature and insensitive men their hormones often encouraged them to be.

He stood up on the bar, his Aunt already handing him a stein of locally brewed beer as he cleared his throat. "Gentlemen!" He roared, his teeth exposed in a grin, as he nodded towards the scantily clad girls trying to coax Maes into yet another round of shots. "And Vixens." He amended for their benefit. "It is my duty as Best man to make sure that our friend Maes over there enjoys his last moments of freedom… properly that is."

His buddy was scarlet, whether from intoxication or embarrassment Roy couldn't determine. But he did look like he was having fun and from the way that brunette was bending over Roy figured the reddish tint to his friend's cheeks wasn't the only noticeable sign that he was paying attention to their hired help. Raising his glass he waited till the rest of the gang to follow suit. "So let us toast to the man of the hour, let's raise our glasses to the poor bastard over there who has sold his freedom in exchange for the shackles of marriage. May we be ever so lucky to follow in his steps. Good riddance and God speed!"

The tavern echoed with the clinking of glasses and a chorus of well-meaning but slurred cheers alike. He could hear Hughes youngest brother in the background echoing louder than the rest. Roy knew allowing Wally to come along was a gamble, but the young soldier was holding his own and without Frank there to mind both his brothers, Roy assumed the kid would be good and passed out before he could cause any real mayhem.

Hopping down from his post he pulled the infamous boot from behind the bar and used a little over two pitchers of beer to fill its monumental stature. It was time for something he had only heard about in fraternity lore and tales long since forgotten. Maes was the first guy he had known that was getting married early enough to enjoy this particular tradition bestowed to only active members. Pulling brothers from booths, bar stools, and high tops he managed to get them assembled into a circle. Not an easy feat considering most were happily glued to the girls or their drinks. Maes eyed him with suspicion which only confirmed Roy's theory that the man was too sober for his own good.

"Here's the deal gentlemen; you drink if you are currently in a relationship." He held up the boot as if it were a symbol of worship like some kind of Holy Grail. "A minute for every year…except for our buddy here."

Falman chuckled from across the circle. "Prepare yourself Hughes; it's _your_ job to finish it off."

"Oh boy." Maes moaned drunkenly as he struggled to understand the magnitude of what was going on. The majority of the fraternity brothers present were definitely single and those that were involved hadn't been for all that long so it was clear he would be stuck drinking more than half.

Bringing the glass to his lips he caught himself, the realization sinking in. He had only ever had a lasting relationship with Riza and that had ended months ago. Passing off the boot without taking a drink he pretended it had been a joke, he pretended that he hadn't forgotten where he stood. Not for the first time that night did he reflect on how miserable this business of being single really was.

By the time it circulated back to Hughes it was half finished. Lucky for their bachelor, Falman drank for longer than a minute and both Edward and Alex had owned up to their share. The boys starting building a chant as Hughes began to drink. He took it like a champ, slow and steady, but with increasing excitement and conviction as the liquid began to disappear. By the time he had coughed off the last swallow the bar was alive once again with loud music and mayhem.

Roy managed to snag the empty glass before Hughes stumbled into a vacant seat. One of the girls stole the top hat off of his head, her finger waving at him as he tried to retrieve it. Upon closer inspection Mustang reminded himself that he would face the wrath of an entire sorority if he didn't remember to help clean his buddy up when all was said and done. Not that it was terrible, but the neat lipstick marks on his cheeks were only evidence of a properly intoxicated bachelor. In this instance he wasn't guilt free but he was not going to go down alone, Breda _had_ assisted in getting their brother a few pregame drinks to help loosen him up for the night. Despite the mans current intoxication Roy knew the key to a good bachelor party was to keep the drinks coming at even intervals. Bachelors were supposed to have one last crazy night in which they could claim ignorance, courtesy of the never-ending supply of booze. The boot was definitely a closer.

Flipping the nearest chair around, he straddled it, folding his arms across the backrest under his chin. "On your word they lose their clothes."

Hughes looked confused and drunk. "Why would I want them to strip?"

Roy had promised Maes no strippers, but if these girls here just happened to lose their clothes he couldn't be held responsible...at least in his mind he couldn't. "It's your call. I'm just letting you know your options is all."

"Nothing compares to my Gracia." He exclaimed with complete adoration, despite the exasperated sighs taking place around him.

"Alright buddy…" There was no surprise there, "figured that's what you would want."

It wasn't the bachelor party he had dreamed up when Maes had first announced his engagement to Gracia but it wasn't half bad. Originally, it was Havoc's domain and while everyone knew he might throw in a few dirty hookers, no one doubted he would make it a memorable night.

Roy looked around the bar but Jean wasn't a face amongst them. With Havoc out of the picture they had been forced to do some last minute scrambling. To his credit, he happened to know a bar they could reserve specifically for their needs and it didn't hurt that he had a personal connection. His Aunt's bar was the perfect venue for the occasion.

It was sad to think about but no one was really surprised Jean hadn't shown up; especially not when the letter taking him to standards had been delivered the night before. Bad timing sure, but there was no way to let him slip under the radar, not when Jean had dragged his feet to meeting on Sunday, after missing Greek Week events, reeking of stale smoke, sporting bloodshot eyes and the inability to explain his absence. They didn't have a choice and with the school year running out he had to give notice right away. They couldn't disregard his utter lack of consciousness when it came to the Fraternity's rules. He ground his teeth together, feeling anxious about the whole thing. There were some pretty nasty rumors going around about Jean and his girlfriend's escapades.

As acting host he put thoughts on Jean on the back burner and enjoyed a few drinks. The hours flew by and finally Maes ended up puking somewhere between two and three in the morning and needed to be carried upstairs to bed. At about four in the morning the bar stilled and he was decidedly the last man standing, though he had done his best to drink himself under the table.

His aunt had been very clear in his responsibility to close the place down when they were done. There was a broom, a few trash bags and a bucket of soap with a rag hanging off the side. Looking around, he rubbed his tired eyes, was he getting old? Fuck. His brothers were all either passed out upstairs or passed out on the three couches in the lounge seating in front. He could always wait till morning but the clock was reading 4:24am and he wasn't tired enough to try and fight off the thoughts running through his head. Best he work off his last drink and find sleep with a clear head.

Starting at the front he cleared glasses, emptied ash trays and wiped down sticky tables. He was starting to sweep under bar stools when he heard the dainty jingle of the front door. Of all the things to forget he knew locking the door should _not_ have been one of them. "Hey the place is closed buddy." He voiced loudly as he glared into the darkness.

"Roy Mustang, cleaning up after a bachelor party, now I've seen everything."

Crossing his arms he leaned back against the bar. Well this was a surprising, if not pleasant, turn of events. "Come to check up on us?" There had to be a solid reason why Riza had just walked into his Aunt's bar at this hour. He had a feeling it might have something to do with checking up on Maes for Gracia's sake.

She shifted her stance, taking a seat on the nearest bar stool. "Something like that."

He lifted his chin up in a subtle gesture to the second floor. "Maes is passed out upstairs, no girls, promise. You're free to check it out if you really want. You know your way around here."

He moved behind the bar busying his hands with the task of covering the used bottles of liquor with paper caps for the night.

"Roy."

Without looking up he kept going, putting his focus on the job in front of him. "Hmm."

"I didn't come here because of Gracia, I came here for you. Can we talk?"

He paused; flattening the palms of his hands on the counter. "Isn't that what we're doing right now?" Lately their discussions never had a happy ending and assuming she had been drinking like he had, he knew now was not the best time.

Roy settled for a quick peak but ended up meeting her intense stare. He gestured to the drunken boys nearby, finding it irrelevant to mention that they were also standing in a bar at the crack of dawn.

She didn't look at all fazed. "Would you rather wait?"

He couldn't read her, what was she expecting him to do?

To hell with it. Snatching the keys from the drawer he decided he didn't care about her motives and led the way to the door. He knew that while a lot of things had changed between them at least she was willing to meet him halfway. As she walked closely to his side he caught a whiff of champagne but it was clear she was sober enough for this sort of conversation.

It wasn't cold out but he watched her button up her jacket as they began to walk outside. To him the spring air was actually refreshing, especially when compared to the stale scent of smoke and beer his Aunt's bar exuded. Heading down Main St. he started to feel a nostalgic twist that brought back the events of Christmas Eve; the night he had thought he actually deserved her.

"Don't get shy on me now." He joked trying to break the silence and ease the awkwardness that had become an unsettling constant between them.

She turned her head in his direction. "I wanted to thank you for the other night."

He stuffed his hands inside his jean pockets. "Not so sure you need to thank me for anything. How much of that night do you even remember?"

"Enough." She answered with a twinge of embarrassment lining her voice.

"Hmm…" He liked catching her off guard, when she had let her walls down. It was beautiful the way her cheeks became warm to the touch whenever she grew self-conscious, which was not often. But his hands were safely tucked away, freeing him from the desire to find out if it were still true. "So you're wondering where that leaves us?"

She looked up at the sky, its dull color lighting with the inevitable sunrise. "Grandpa mentioned you won the grant for your research, the research you started with my father."

He planted his feet, trying his best to read her expression. That research was important to him but he knew how much her father had scarred her by choosing it over her. The subject had always been a little touchy. "Do you wish I had stopped?"

"No."

He could tell she wasn't lying.

"But I didn't even know you were still working in the lab." She wrapped her arms around her stomach a resigned expression falling over her face. "How can we be strangers when I've known you my whole life?"

Roy knew the answer to that question but that didn't mean it was easy to say. "You've always been let down by the people that mean the most to you." He wished guilt was kinder than regret. "Riza…you have no idea how much I wish I could take it all back."

Those rogue eyes of hers flickered in pain and he knew she had long ago forgiven him for his mistakes but a mind like hers wouldn't forget. "Do you honestly think we can go back to being friends?" She asked in return but he was so relieved he could have kissed her right then and there. She was asking as if she would agree to having him as a friend again.

Mustang was confident that he would always want more but for now the pain of the past few months was enough to remind him to take it slow. "You've been my best friend; I'm a mess without you. Though if we are going to be friends again, does this mean I can reserve the right to castrate any guy who tries to lay a hand on you?"

"Really?" She replied sarcastically. "Such the charmer."

"Considering you decked the girl I was with, I'd say that's pretty fair."

Riza hit him upside the head and he managed a grin as she scowled at him. "Shit. Yeah, I know I deserved that."

After walking Riza home he headed back to his Aunts bar. His aunt was waiting for him, a steaming cup of Joe in her hands. Wishing he had finished cleaning up he was startled to find the place looked, well…it looked good. Shit, had his Aunt cleaned up in his absence? There was no such thing as a free lunch, if she did the work he was going to pay for it later. "I was going to finish the job-" He started off weakly before she interrupted him.

She cut him off with a significant look and a pointed finger over his shoulder. Turing around his jaw dropped. "Well I'll be damned."

Madam Christmas chuckled, "Boy looked sorrier than a dog with its tail between its legs-said something about creating a huge mess out of things."

"And what did you say?"

His Aunt chortled to herself as if it were obvious. "I handed him a broom. Told him to clean it up then."

Mustang grinned at the blond haired guy passed out. Havoc was fast asleep in the booth, cleaning supplies resting on the table in front of him. He shook his head in disbelief. "No shit."

**(Edward)**

It was a brilliantly sunny day; the kind of day that got people outside barbequing and playing catch. Too bad he had spent the previous night with his fraternity brothers drinking themselves under the table at Hughes bachelor party.

At some point, well past noon, he managed to actually roll out of bed, shower and make himself decent. He couldn't believe he had slept for so long, especially when his dorm room had turned into an inferno. The heaters in the building hadn't been turned off and when coupled with the warm spring air, it was stifling and uncomfortable. At Winry's persuasion, he was currently lying in the cool pent house suite his dad owned. Alphonse was conveniently spending the night at a friend's house, leaving him and Winry alone. He grinned to himself thinking about new ways to enjoy the large whirlpool tub. The sound of someone in the kitchen reminded him that for now it would have to wait. Winry was making him dinner and while she had expressed wanting to surprise him, he was having trouble staying out of the kitchen for more than just the food.

He knew right away what it was, even though she had been very good about sneaking in all the ingredients. The insanely good smell of stew was a whole new phenomenon in the Elric high-rise apartment. Hohenheim certainly was never home long enough to cook and Alphonse wasn't good enough to get this kind of reaction out of him. Ignoring her previous warnings about disrupting her he weaseled his way into the kitchen. He leaned over his girlfriend's shoulder, taking a nice long whiff as she stirred the pot. He almost mentioned how cute she looked all domesticated with that apron around her middle and the spoon in her hand but he didn't feel like getting hit. Wrapping his arms around her waist he began to plant kisses up her neck. Being affectionate wasn't a normal response for him, but she made it so easy.

"Sucking up to the cook doesn't mean I'm going to forgive you for ruining the surprise." Winry scolded him, a smile still on her relenting lips.

"Maybe, maybe not." He challenged, happy both of their hangovers had passed that morning.

She bumped him out of her way with her hip, proceeding to add a few more ingredients to the already impressive array before them. "You think you're so smart, don't you?"

He tried to tickle her into submission but the laughter panned out and his touches lingered. The sound of her breath hitching stirred him and without preamble she was pushed onto the island counter, her skirt already sneaking up. He'd been planning for this sort of thing later on in the night but why wait? Winry's hands worked to get his belt lose while his lips drifted from her neck down to her shoulder.

"Winry..." Ed murmured into her hair. There was so much he wished she knew, so much about how she made him feel that he knew he couldn't put words to.

Winry pulled him close and all his thoughts were eclipsed by the sheer pleasure. He laid his head on her shoulder, keeping his arms wrapped around her. She hugged him back, her fingernails drawing lazy circles against him. "Damn." He exhaled contentedly.

She laughed lightly as she echoed him in a breathless voice. "Umhmm."

They took their bowls of stew out onto the patio, enjoying the sweet breeze. "Today was a good day." He commented feeling exceptionally content and at peace with the world around him.

His girlfriend smiled at him, "I've had a lot of good days with you." The smile waned from her face as she set her bowl down and leaned back in her chair. "I wish I didn't have to go back home."

"To your dorm room? We can stay here for the night if you want."

"No." She sighed looking torn. "I mean at the end of the semester…I can't stay out here in Central."

"Oh." The thought that she would be leaving for the summer had never really occurred to him. "But you have your job at Tony's garage?" _And you have me_ he thought silently.

"I know." She nervously picked at a thread at the bottom of her shorts. "I really should take spring and summer classes so I can get into med school as early as possible."

Ed tried to see where there was a problem in all this. "So, you're going back to Resembool because…?"

Her lips thinned her eyes set in determination. "I can't leave Gran like that."

Ed stopped himself from saying she had done it all year. "Pinako is hardly helpless." He pointed out, trying to be reasonable. "No reason why you can't stay out here and visit on a few good weekends." He added for good measure.

She stood up, picking up his empty bowl along with her own, turning her back on him as she started to leave.

At a loss he grabbed her arm, "What the hell Win, I'm trying to talk to you."

"She's the only family I have left Ed." Her eyes looked weary. "What would you have me do?"

"You act like your Grandma isn't going to understand that you have a life here now." He thought the real question was did this life have more value than that of hers in Resembool. Was it enough to keep her here, or the bigger question on his mind was he selfish for wanting to keep her? "I would keep you here." He admitted, taking the bowls from her hands and setting them down. Threading his fingers into her hair he placed his forehead against hers. "I want you to stay right here."

His mouth dropped open as he watched tears begin to brim on her outer lashes. Oh no, not the tears.

"I know how it feels to be alone Ed." She leaned back and cupped her palm around his cheek. "You do too. I just can't do that to her."

He did have an awful lot of experience with being alone, and it sucked. "So go, spend the summer with your grandma." He couldn't be mad at her decision, it was entirely the right thing to do, but he had every right to be upset about it.

Winry sighed, "Its only for three months and I can still come see you or you could come see me."

Ed neither agreed nor disagreed. "You have to come back here for Hughes wedding and you can't miss Al's birthday."

His girlfriend beamed, "And there's that summer trip the girls have been talking about."

"Yeah, yeah, you'll still miss me like crazy."

Winry kissed him on the cheek, "Yeah you do make me a little crazy."

His automail caught the light and he let the evil seed of thought take root. Despite the repercussions he felt at ease with the idea. If she decided to linger in Resembool he had a few good tricks up his sleeve, say if somehow it needed repairs, he knew she would be on the next train. And wrench or no wrench he grinned because that sneaky woman had given him a reason to love a part of himself, to love his automail.

**(Rose)**

It was hectic around campus with finals approaching and the buzzing of engagements and future weddings on the horizon for certain senior couples at school. She had already heard enough about Gracia and Maes to make her sick. Feeling weary about everything she called a cab and found herself standing at the pathway to her parents' home.

The house smelled like pecan pie, a real favorite of her fathers. Pushing the door shut behind her she heard her mother's voice call out from the kitchen. "Rose? Is that you?"

"It's me, mama." She replied, wondering for the second time that day if this was what she really wanted to do.

Her mother came from around the corner into the front, wiping her hands on her apron as she walked. "Oh, hello dear."

Things had been strange between them but she knew from the look on her mother's face that if she wanted love, she would find it here. As much as she hated them for their response to Kain, she couldn't begrudge the fact that they were the only family she had. So much of what she used to be was in this home. If she wanted to she could find that girl in the photos on the mantle and even the rather childish bedroom upstairs. But even if she wanted to, there was no way she could be that girl again.

Rose noticed the curlers in her mom's hair and the fine silver already set on the dining room table. "Are you expecting someone?"

Mrs. Thomas beamed, "Father Cornello is coming for dinner tonight."

"Father Cornello…the head of our old church in Reole?"

The older woman nodded her head looking thoroughly pleased. "Yes, he contacted us just last week. Are you going to be staying for dinner?"

Rose looked at her mother's hopeful expression, she was about to break her heart again, maybe the least she could do was have dinner. "Sure, what needs to get done?"

Her mother pointed towards the closet. "Would you mind dusting around the living room?"

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes; she highly doubted Father Cornello would notice the dust that had settled on the highest shelves, especially if she decided to broach the subject that was encompassing all her energy. She could imagine the conversation now. How have you been Rose? Oh you know, just been sleeping around and then surprise one of those guys turned out to be decent. He was just playing the joker card because he was scared of dying and by the time he revealed his true colors he died. Oh, but don't worry we eloped before that and now that he's dead I've had the good fortune of being blessed with his child. Oh no, I'm not actually going to go through with it. I've decided to get an abortion but tell me Father, how have _you_ been?

Dinner was long, tedious and while she barely said much it seemed Father Cornello had eyes only for her. It was a penetrating stare, like a scientist using a microscope.

"Rose?"

She put her fork down, aware that she had been specifically addressed.

"Father just asked you a question." Her mother said in a tone that suggested she should mind her manners.

"Sorry." She mumbled, "I was thinking about something."

A hand crossed the table, resting atop hers. "Your late husband?"

Rose suppressed a shudder as she looked down at his hand, the touch making her already queasy stomach roll in disgust. "He is still my husband." She retorted feeling angry.

"Oh dear, your parents have told me quite a lot about this man. Please, don't be embarrassed, you were fooled. Now we must ask forgiveness from our lord and repent."

Repent, so this is why her parents had invited him for dinner. She had been planning on telling them anyways and now seemed like a great opportunity to knock them off their feet. "Yes I do wish to repent." She should have stayed quiet but it was too late now. "For starters I am sorry I had promiscuous sex with a number of men, though I was usually drunk so I can't be sure the real number, but I'm going to guess somewhere around twenty. As for Kain I am not sorry about what we had, but I am sorry he will never know that for once he beat the odds because according to doctors, the chances of him getting me pregnant were next to none." She held her stomach for emphasis as she stood up. "So when I'm done at the abortion clinic tomorrow I'll make sure I stop by to thank god for granting me a miracle when it was too fucking late."

Her mother gasped, her face going pale. Rose only had to suffer the horrified silence for as long as it took her to grab her purse and leave. Her parents couldn't help her, Father Cornello couldn't help her, and in the end she figured no one could.

The back of her legs stuck uncomfortably against the leather chair with its stiff back and weathered surface. Shifting anxiously she swallowed back her fear and resumed tapping her foot restlessly against the floor. The receptionist cleared her throat and Rose knew that annoyed look was meant just for her. Putting her hand on her knee she tried to quell the restlessness that consumed her.

"Miss Taylor?"

The nurse raised her voice, the same name repeated on her lips as she scanned the waiting room. Rose jumped up her face flushing as she realized it was _her_ name they were calling. The guilt welled in her gut as she noticed the vacant stares of the other women as they paid her no mind. Rose shivered, it was almost over.

She followed behind the nurse, watching as the older woman's orthopedic shoes squished and squeaked against the tile floor. If Suzy was here, Rose imagined she might have a heart attack at the way this woman's stockings bunched up at her ankles and the unforgivable way her dark roots made an unattractive stain on her attempt at being a blonde. Following her into a room towards the end of the hallway she was given a dressing gown and slippers; about the only shred of dignity she was likely to see.

"Dr. Sanders will be in shortly."

Rose nodded her head solemnly. Alone again she undressed slowly, her hand reaching up to hold onto the gold cross at her neck out of a habit long since broken.

**(Winry)**

Sam had his arms wrapped around his stomach, the muscles taunt while he shot her a severe look. "No."

Keeping her hands on her hips she glared right back. "Yes."

"You're not leaving me with Johnny!" He protested hotly. "That man is as slow as molasses."

"Not my fault every mechanic out there can't be as good as I am." She snapped, although it made her sort of happy to think that both Sam and Tony were miserable at the thought of her taking a summer leave.

Her coworker pulled the rag out of his back pocket to wipe the sweat off his brow. "You're killing me Rocky."

Okay, so Sam had helped her out of a tight spot enough times she had lost count, but she had done the same for him! She pulled her weight around the shop and to make up for taking off days for sorority and coaching, she often pulled all-nighters.

"What does your boyfriend think about you leaving us high and dry here in Central?"

Winry knew he was just trying to ruffle her feathers. "Leave Ed out of this." She raised her brow at his wicked smile. "We're not going to die just because there are a few miles separating us."

"It's a lot more than few miles." He mused aloud.

Sam was like the annoying brother she never had. "Oh shut up Sam."

He held up his hands trying to feign innocence. "I'm just saying Rocky, that grandmother of yours must be legendary to make you give all this up."

"Yes." Winry replied honestly, "She is."

Tony poked his head out of his office, "Alright you two, less talking, more working."

Winry pulled her work gloves on, "He's one to talk." She muttered under her breath.

Sam snorted, "Give the guy a break. It takes effort to make doing nothing look like work."

It was turning out to be a good day on the job, Sam put the radio on his favorite rock station and they both got their elbows deep into their work. It wasn't until she heard the sound of her cell phone going off that she realized her shift was technically over in a few minutes. Figuring it might be Ed calling to see if she needed to a ride home she brightened at the sound and raced to wipe her hands.

Sam reached her phone before she did looking smug. "Winry's currently tied up as it were, how can I help you?"

Rolling her eyes she held out her hand, waiting for him to give it up. Her stomach twisted as she watched his face fall, a question rising to the surface as he nodded his head. "No, no, she's right here." He answered sounding somber.

It took her a moment to register who it was between the sobs, but then again this wasn't the first time Rose had called her at the brink of a breakdown. After speaking for a few seconds it was clear what she had to do, even if she was getting tired of doing it. This was different than the other times, this was much scarier. Once she had hung up she realized Sam had been watching her the whole time.

The look on his face made her feel jumpy; it was an honest portrayal of disapproval. "I'll drive."

Calling Ed would make her feel better, but she didn't want Rose to be by herself any longer than necessary. "You don't mind?"

Sam pushed his checkered bandana off his head and wiped his hands, "You need a ride and I'm happy to give it." He answered simply, and Winry realized that Sam had known about this. This was what he had been so weird about.

"You knew she was pregnant?" She felt sick to her stomach at the news.

Sam swallowed, "It wasn't my secret to share."

It was only a couple minutes' drive but she felt the pressure on her shoulders because it killed her that Rose seemed bent on destroying her life. With her heart in her throat she spotted her former roommate sitting on a bench outside of the clinic.

"Oh Rose." She put an arm around the girls shaking shoulders.

Rose turned in the embrace, resting her head on Winry's shoulder as she sobbed even harder. With a sigh she held the girl, feeling as if she had grown up more than she should have within the last year. For someone so young it looked like she had just lived through an eternity of pain. She tried to carefully detach herself from Rose. "Let me take you home." She insisted with a gentle but firm voice.

The puffy eyed girl nodded her head, still clinging onto Winry as she stood shakily to her feet. The car ride back was void of conversation and filled with silent tears. Sam didn't say anything and Winry was grateful he seemed to understand that it was just fine that way.

"Can I stay with you?" Rose managed to choke out as they neared the Alpha Zeta house.

Already expecting this Winry nodded to Sam who drove right on past the sorority house and eased into the dorm parking lot. Shutting off the car she was surprised to see Sam get out of the car and give a strong armed hug to Rose, he had such a tough exterior she was always surprised when he acted so gently. Rose returned his hug, her fingers digging into the back of his jacket, as if she were much more attached to him than Winry had been led to believe. She thought she heard her whisper thank you and when she waved goodbye to Sam she wondered why he had that burning look in his eyes.

Getting to their old room Rose exhaled and took a seat on the bed, curling her legs up to her chest.

Winry waited for the conversation to start but when it remained quiet she decided it was up to her to take action. "Rose, you're going to need to tell me why I had to pick you up at the clinic." She was well aware of why someone went there but for Rose to call her in the same state of misery as when Kain had died just about confirmed it. "Maybe not today, but soon. I think I deserve an explanation." She offered gently without trying to be forceful. This time she was owed something and she couldn't keep coming to the rescue without understanding why. She needed something of substance to explain why she was yet again the only friend Rose had, when she had neither acted nor promoted being a friend back.

Pushing her hair out of her face Rose wiped at her eyes. "I found out I was pregnant three weeks ago. Kain is, was the father." She corrected looking sickly.

Somehow it would have been easier had Kain not been the father, maybe then she wouldn't feel so absolutely heartbroken. Her throat felt dry, "You should have asked me to go with you."

"I-I didn't know what to do." Rose shrugged her shoulders looking meek. "But I couldn't go through with it."

"You didn't-?" Winry felt her mouth gape open.

Rose shook her head tears spilling down her cheeks again. "This is the only proof that someone loved me." She wrapped her arms around her stomach.

This wasn't a conversation Winry felt prepared to have, especially with someone she hadn't been close to in a while. She agreed that it was a woman's choice, but the idea of Rose being grown up enough to raise a child was unrealistic. So this is what becomes of a girl with an insignificant amount of self-esteem and a world full of heartache.

"You've been through a lot, why don't you get some sleep and we'll talk in the morning." She suggested feeling worn out.

Rose laid down without another word and while the crying didn't stop immediately, it began to fade as the girl slowly cried herself to sleep.

Uneasy about the whole thing, Winry turned off the lights and headed down the steps to Ed's dorm room. Ed opened the door on her second knock, ink smudged on his face. Winry smiled, the tension in her chest breaking up a little. "Fall asleep while studying?"

He nodded his head with a wide yawn, his eyes going wide as he really looked at her. "What happened?"

Stepping forward she wrapped her arms around him, settling her cheek on his chest. Hearing the steady beat of his heart calmed her down. "You have no idea how much I love you."

Ed returned her hug, chuckling in relief. "Oh and here I thought something was wrong." He pulled her into his room and they both sat on his futon, her legs draped over his.

Before she could think it over the words just sort of tumbled out of her mouth. "Rose almost had an abortion today."

Her boyfriend froze, his muscles tensing. "That girl." He muttered after a minute, a sense of exhaustion in his voice. He let his head roll back to lean against the wall. "Think she's going to quit school?"

Winry chewed on her lower lip, "I honestly don't know what she's going to do." Thinking about it for a second she suddenly felt guilty. "I'm sorry Ed; I shouldn't have bothered you with this, especially when you were just trying to study."

He ruffled the hair on top of her head, "Actually I was sleeping on my notes, so no worries there. You know, it's not healthy to make yourself sick over everyone else's problems."

It was hard not to worry when it came to Rose, but Ed did have a point. Making herself feel horrible over all this was not going to help anyone. "I can't imagine being pregnant."

Her boyfriend's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. "Oh-uh, well…yeah, let's not find out."

Winry rolled her eyes, "I'm not ready to grow up that fast."

Neither of them mentioned that it clearly wasn't Rose's first choice to get pregnant either.

**(Havoc)**

He was stuck in a rut, cut off from help because maybe he had always been destined to be the screw up. Everyone makes mistakes, shit Mustang had been bumbling around for years, but he felt like he was the only one who never quite recovered. Roy had already managed to get his head above water by winning president of the IFC, earning the top research grant, and the brothers treated him as if he hadn't cheated on his girlfriend or received bad marks. It left a bitter taste in his mouth and he could feel the resentment towards his brother brewing. From his angle there was a glaring double standard, but he also had a streak of morality that reminded him that it was his own fault he was in this mess.

Nursing a beer he situated himself in a recliner someone had left in the backyard of the fraternity house. This time around he knew things had to be different or else he could kiss his fraternity, college and any shot at a decent future goodbye. There was some good news for the day; he had finally gone through his meeting with the Judicial Board. He owed Maes for bailing him out, 20 additional hours of service was nothing compared to the other sanctions had been discussed. He honestly didn't mind community service so it wasn't a huge burden on his shoulders.

Looking at the fluffy white clouds moving slowly across the sky he enjoyed the blankness that settled in with his buzz. It's easy to fuck up; it's the whole putting shit back together that's hard. A lot had happened but he knew there was still a lot he had yet to change. Splitting with Solaris was only the tip of the iceberg and while she had split him open like the Titanic he had to be realistic with himself. As great as the sex was…and it was pretty great, he couldn't adjust to her lifestyle without putting one foot in the grave.

"Mind if I join you?"

He held out a fresh beer to Maes in response.

The dark haired man dragged up another lawn chair and sunk down into it with a contented sigh. "Can't believe I can count on my hand the number of days left of being a college student."

A sinking feeling weighed Jean down as the slow and deeper understanding of something caught his tongue. "You know you were one of the reasons I joined Beta Tau Alpha. It's not going to be the same without you."

"Yeah, everyone always feels that way when seniors go alum-" His face crinkled up as a smile spread it wide; leaning over he patted him on the shoulder, "but thanks anyways."

Putting his beer down Jean wanted a question answered, one that had his stomach in knots. Maes could have easily swayed the Judicial Board to expel him from the chapter if he had wanted to. "Why did you stand up for me?"

Maes adjusted his glasses on his face. "You forget I grew up in the same household as Wally." He chastised him. "My mom should have changed his name to trouble because that's what people think when they see him coming. But at the end of the day he's my brother and he always tries to make things right…sort of like you."

Jean took that as a complement because he could really use one. Shaking his head in self-depreciation he grimaced. "So I know I've been a royal pain in your ass, but I'd still like to stand up for you at your wedding."

Hughes sat up, taking a drink of his beer. "You need to be sober for the ceremony." He intoned with a great deal of seriousness. "And drug free."

"I know." He answered solemnly.

"It's a big day for me." Maes added with a significant amount of threat behind his statement and Jean wouldn't begrudge him for it.

"Yeah, a love like you two have only comes along once in a blue moon. I don't plan on doing anything to jeopardize your special day." He answered, enunciating every word for effect.

"Good, because I don't plan on asking anyone else to fill your spot. It's yours if you can grow up enough to take it." The flash in his eyes made Havoc swallow again.

"You can count on me, promise."

"I hope so."

If ever there was a second chance to make things right, here it was.

* * *

**Next Chapter:** Sooner or Later

The semester is at a close and some move on while others fall back on old habits. Will Havoc keep his word or will he fall back into his old routine? Rose has decided to keep her baby, but what will that mean in the long run? Roy and Riza struggle to define their relationship, will Maes and Gracia's wedding help pull them together or push them apart?


	25. Sooner or Later

**A/N: **All of you kind readers are the reason why this chapter has come to fruition. This chapter has been lost, found, rewritten, and generally loathed for almost a year. I swear I always end up with other characters begging for their story lines to fit in and they just don't. Hopefully you can pick up and appreciate where this chapter has whisked me away to. Promise the next chapter won't take nearly as long. In fact most of the next chapter is done. I really need someone to edit my previous chapters as well as future chapters...I'm just too busy and inept to really do it myself. Once again thanks for being my motivation :)**  
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* * *

**Chapter 25: Sooner Or Later**

**(Winry)**

It was a mad house around campus, families coming in for graduation and others packing up to go home. Olivia and a few others were dressed in their caps and gowns getting pictures in front of the house. It was nostalgic for them as they reminisced about their years at Central and at the Kappa Delta. Would that be her in three more years?

Winry had never liked being left behind and watching them take the next step into their lives left her feeling a little empty. She had come to rely on Olivia and Gracia as the big sisters she never had growing up. Now Gracia was getting married and Olivia was moving all the way up to Briggs. It was scary to think that many of the people she had come to call friends and sisters were going to grow up and move away.

"How are we ever going to replace girls like them?" She wondered out loud.

Rebecca, who was sitting nearby, answered as if the question had been directed at her. "We don't. Recruitment is tough because we spend so much time looking for replacements when really we are just looking for girls who value what we do. The chapter morphs from one class to the next, but that's not always a bad thing."

Winry wasn't really confident that they could do that, but she nodded as if she did. Change was never easy but this felt too soon and much too final. She had gotten used to working at Sam's, going to school and relying on both her sisters and Ed to keep her sane. The problem with Edward was another tough pill to swallow. They were headed their own separate ways for the summer. "What if I like things the way they are?"

Rebecca gave her a sympathetic look, "Yeah, I think it always seems that way when you're in the moment, but eventually things will take a new path and you'll understand why things had to happen like they did."

Olivia came over then demanding pictures in a way that let Winry know she wasn't the only one dreading their separation. Winry smiled along and pretended that she was really alright with everyone graduating and moving away. It was hard to watch both Gracia and Olivia standing on the edge of their future while she stared down at least three more years of college. Then there was a feeling of a loss, a strange void that was opening up in her little world where these two role models had served as her mentors. Everything was going to change and change was not something she really embraced after the tumultuous year she had just experienced.

Shutting the window she took one last look around her small dorm room. Strange to find it so hard to let go when it was so hard to stay in the first place. This was the beginning of her college years, the first step in a series of steps that led to changing her view on life and most importantly her view of herself. With a bemused smile WInry picked up the last of her bags and slung it over her shoulder, handing the room key to her resident advisor as she stepped over the threshold.

Standing in the hallway Winry watched as families milled around, helping their kids move out. Picking out her cellphone she dialed home and waited with baited breath.

"Rockbell Automail."

Sighing Winry relaxed as the familiar voice greeted her on the other end. "Hi Gran."

"Oh hello dear, all moved out?"

Looking around she felt brave amongst her peers. A blooming sense of accomplishment was settling in and it felt amazing. Winry was doing this of her own volition and no prodding or pushing of anyone else could take credit. She had worked her way through her freshman year without any student loans or mommy and daddy's check book. There was definitely something to be said about being independent, and that's the way Winry liked it.

"Yeah, I'm just about done here. Ed said he'd take me to the train station since his train leaves right before mine."

There was an audible pause and Winry doubled checked her signal just to be sure she hadn't lost her Gran.

"Hmm, so those boys are off on another adventure huh?"

There was a knowing edge to her Grandmothers voice and she wondered if she even had an inkling of what was on her Granddaughter's mind. "Yeah they're going to visit Xing University for Al but I'll see him for the wedding and the summer always flies by."  
There was a chuckle on the other end. "Alright dear, no need to explain to me. You just be safe now."

It was hard to tell if her Gran was talking about the trip or about Edward in general, maybe she meant both.

Despite her original reluctance Winry was actually happy for him, even if the idea of him being so far away didn't sit quite right. Breathing in she exhaled all the lingering jealousy and tried to muster up some courage for the upcoming goodbye.

Alphonse had been accepted to The University of Xing and was traveling there early to get to know the area and enjoy a little summer vacation out of the city. Her chest rose and fell with growing trepidation. They were at a crossroads now, she would be headed to Resembool to help her grandmother for the summer and Ed would be going to Xing with his brother.

Sometime later Winry was at the train station waiting for a goodbye she didn't want to say. The bags were heavy in her hands, the knot in her throat growing as she watched Ed bicker with Al about what time their train left. She smiled at them, a halfhearted attempt at acting like she was okay with all this. There was no point in acting childish about it, she had her own hand in this decision and while she had been asked to join them, she knew there was no way she could. Winry couldn't help but wonder what was going to happen to them; two brothers about to embark on a journey and one girl drifting back home. It took a lot to remind herself of her priorities.

Edward finally caught her eye, his smile slipping as he continued to look at her. Winry thought about that rainy day and those angry eyes he had once worn, the grief of almost losing Alphonse and the bullet he had taken for her. They had been through a lot. A year of lessons too big for anyone from Resembool to understand and as much as she wanted to be independent, maybe she had grown accustomed to relying on someone. The lump in her throat and the undeniable dread unhinged her. No one had ever made her feel so frustratingly at a loss.

If she was so independent why did the thought of him leaving without her make her so unsure?

Edward was unnerving with his big puppy dog like eyes searching for something from her. "I can probably pick you up at the train station if our trains come in at the same time."

She nodded her head because it was only a couple of months and there was no reason to feel weird about it such a small about time apart. "Right."

Alphonse cleared his throat, "I should probably go to the bathroom before we go…so I'll just be going then."

Winry watched him leave, appreciating and simultaneously dreading the moment alone Al had awkwardly provided them. She tried to say something of real importance, but even before the words came out, Winry knew there was no way to voice it. "So, I guess this is goodbye."

"Don't think we've ever really said that before." He looked a little perplexed, like he too didn't know what to make of all this.

Edward Elric had really taken her on a journey these past few months. A simple goodbye just didn't seem to fit in with all they had been through and how close they had become. It felt like a vice slowly tightening around her throat while they stared across the distance at one another. "Well there's always the phone and you could write." She suggested with as much enthusiasm as she could muster.

He averted her eyes. "I'm not really good about writing or calling."

Winry tried not to roll her eyes; that was Edward alright. Her boyfriend was a man of many passions and a serious case of wanderlust. This is what she had knowingly gotten herself into but there was no denying she was second guessing some things. "Just make sure you don't forget about me." She answered his unspoken question.

He scoffed, the redness in his cheeks pleasing her. "Yeah, not likely Winry."

Then they were just two people at a train station waiting on a goodbye. Alphonse returned giving Winry a fierce hug before boarding the train and then Edward had that look in his eyes. Stepping forward he kissed her, a quick press of his lips to hers and all too soon they were apart. She watched him sling his bag over his shoulder and with a wave of his hand he was gone. Pushing her bangs out of her eyes she picked up her own bag and headed to her own platform because watching someone leave was her least favorite thing to do.

**(Maes) **

It was over. Four years of his life had been recognized in a few steps across a stage and a document followed up with a handshake. It was the beginning of a new chapter in his life and the separation was just a side effect of growing up and moving on. "Just a few more steps." He promised.

Gracia giggled; her arms outstretched as she tried to navigate with closed eyes. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see." He answered with a hint of excitement in his voice. Nudging her closer Maes beamed with pride because this was just one of those moments he had been dreaming about since meeting this girl.

It was a handsome, two story townhouse on the upper Eastside of city. With dark brick and white accents it really was aesthetically pleasing to the eye. It might lack a proper backyard, but he was quite enamored by the second floor balcony view and for his price range it was unbeatable. Throwing out the idea of yard work was certainly another way of looking at it.

The idea was planted in his head by his parent's early wedding gift, a monetary sum that was meant for just this purpose. He felt a little guilty about accepting it, but since Gracia's parents were taking care of the wedding his parents had insisted they contribute in some way. Maes knew both of his parents loved Gracia ardently and couldn't wait to dote on her as the daughter they never had.

Heading up the stone walkway Maes hesitated at the front door, why was he feeling nervous all of the sudden? Oh right, what if she hated it? Would she be mad that he put money down on it without consulting her? There were about a million things that he should be nervous about. His palms felt clammy and his mouth went dry. Why hadn't he thought of that? Christ, what had he been thinking!?

"Maes?"

Calm, just stay calm. If he had waited to put money down someone else would have snatched it up, no question. For now he was going to have to live with the knowledge that his decision had been made in good faith and his faith had never let him down before.

Maes slipped the key out of his pocket and dangled it in front of his fiancés face with the hope that he had done the right thing. "You can open your eyes now my love."

She sucked in a breath and then her mouth was open, her eyes fixated on the key then the apartment and back again. "Maes." She whispered her eyes wide in shock.

"Do you like it?" He asked knowing it was a loaded question.

"Do I…like it?" She breathed out slowly. "Maes, is it _ours_?"

He nodded but the lack of outward enthusiasm on her part scared the courage right out of him. "I mean I can try to get the money back but it was so perfect and with the wedding so close I just wanted a home of our own and-"

"Maes!" She cupped her hand over his mouth, a smile slowing building on her lips. He stopped spouting off nonsense when she squealed, throwing her arms around him.

Maes hugged Gracia back in relief. "Does this mean you like it?" He asked cautiously.

Gracia grabbed the keys from his hands while placing a chaste kiss to his cheek. "When can we move in?"

It took him a minute to swallow back his original fears and enjoy this elated feeling that was making him grin like an idiot. "I've got the key so it's up to you when we move in. Not to mention I have a few favors to call in on some fraternity brothers, so today isn't out of the question."

Gracia lunged forward into his arms again. "You have no idea how much I can't wait to be Mrs. Hughes." She whispered into his ear, her breath warming his skin.

Maes sighed into her hair thinking it was impossible for any man to be happier than he was. "I've never wanted anything more in my life."

**(Roy)**

How he got roped into being part of the moving gang was pretty obvious but that didn't mean he was happy about it.

"Could you not be so damn happy while we labor over here?" He commented dryly.

Maes stopped humming, his mood neither altered nor deterred. "Wait until you feel even an ounce of this kind of happiness, then you'll understand." He went to pick up another box but stopped midway, turning instead to pat him on the back, "And believe me Roy I hope someday that you do." Getting back to work Maes gave up on humming and settled for whistling.

"He's lost it." Havoc commented with a shake of his head.

"Women, they do that to guys." Breda agreed, wiping the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand.

"Yeah? And what would you know about women?" Roy bated with a grin.

Breda laughed mockingly. "Hardie har there Roy, I know enough to stay away for now."

"Think it'll fade?" Ed interrupted them, his eyes following Maes in suspicion.

"His infatuation with Gracia?" Roy chuckled, "That's funny little bro, he hasn't talked about anything else since the day he met her."

Breda flopped down onto the sofa looking beat. "I can't believe he suckered us into helping him move."

Falman gave up on his box and joined him. "I can't believe he hasn't called in favors from some of us sooner."

"I'm just happy his wedding is going to have an open bar." Jean practically sang as he snatched up one of the lighter boxes and continued to work.

Roy stared up at the apartment and felt a slight twinge in his chest. It was hard to measure up to a guy like Hughes and the more he stared at his friend's reality the greater his anticipation for his own success in this life grew. Suddenly life outside of college was a reality and realistically he was only a year away from facing it. He focused on the physical labor in front of him, a healthy distraction because he was not prepared to give it all up just yet. Roy was no prepared to give up being a college god.

Back at the fraternity house he found himself contemplating the bigger complexities of his life as he took up residence on his favorite lawn chair. Putting back a few beers he thought of what it meant to be Roy Mustang. This was his senior year and it wasn't at all how he imagined it. Was that something he should be worried about or was it a good thing that this year had completely thrown him?

"Drinking by yourself… should I be concerned?"

He held his beer up in a salute. "Well now that you've joined me I'm not by myself now am I?"

Folding out a second chair Breda lounged comfortably next to him; the metal squeaking in protest under his weight. He smirked, "Don't plan on arguing with that logic." He sighed, "Damn I miss having pledges. Sort of defeats the purpose of being an upperclassman when all the others go home for the summer."

"I guess that is an advantage of being an underclassman. We're too old to be taking summers off." He closed his eyes and took in the relative quiet of the college street. Campus was a little busy for spring and summer semesters but the majority of students had already moved back home.

"We certainly didn't get off easy this past year." Heymans fiddled with the bottle opener on his key ring.

Roy put on his thick, black rimmed sunglasses. "Can't say I'm really looking forward to senior year anymore. Damn lab research and now this bullshit with IFC."

Heymans laughed at him. "Don't envy you there; I'm surprised you've put up with Marc Williams this long."

As president of the IFC Roy and the Greek Adviser had to spend a lot of time together and were up to their neck in meetings. To say that he and Marc didn't see eye to eye wasn't fair because they did agree on most things; he just didn't agree on the delivery or methods involved. Marc was the sort of man that loved conversation and talking in circles until Mustang was ready to pull out his hair. Roy was finding it harder and harder to listen to the same thing said five different ways. Usually he pawned off responsibilities and duties to those under him and now should not be any different. He was ready and waiting for Marc to let him delegate and actually get shit done, not just talk about it. "I think he just realized I'm not Tyrone, despite our clear lack of physical similarities."

Breda shrugged his shoulders, "He left a pretty good blueprint of where our Greek system should be. Guess you just have to decide where you want to start."

Roy snorted, "Okay, I want to start with kicking out chapters like Sigma Iota Nu. Fucking druggies give us a bad name. Havoc's still messed up from that shit and he was only involved with them for a short time. Then there's the school breathing down our necks about all that's happened, threatening to take away Greek Week, chapter houses and our Greek Life altogether. And here comes Marc Williams expecting me to be a miracle worker and clean up the mess that's been piling up since the 80s."

Breda gave him a sharp look, one that defied the casual position he was currently reclining in. "If I didn't know you better I'd say you're actually worried about doing a good job as IFC president."

Honestly, Roy had never really fretted over being in charge or questioned himself, but after this year he had some doubts. "Sometimes I wonder if I'm really the right guy for this position. Without Hughes covering my ass I would have done some serious damage to our fraternity."

Heymans looked wise as he folded his hands into his lap, leaning back in the lawn chair. "With anything of real importance of course there is a higher risk of failure. Tyrone was a great IFC president and if you step into shoes like that you could end up looking like an idiot. Though the way I see it, if people didn't think you were capable of the job they wouldn't have voted you in."

Everyone always tended to write Heymans off but he was actually quite the brain and knew his stuff. Whether he chose to act on that genius was a different matter. "Well, now that there's not a crazed psychopath on the board I guess I have a real chance of getting somewhere this year." He watched as Breda made a face. "What? Too soon?"

Breda exhaled loudly, "Nah, it's just a real shame about Tyrone. That Kimbley was a piece of work that's for sure." He grabbed one of the beers out of the cooler, using his teeth to knock the top off. "We should probably make a toast. Cheers to those that came before us and the legends we'll leave after us."

Roy smirked, coming from the guy who used to make pledges eat rotten food out of the fridge it was really saying something. He could drink to that.

**(Havoc)**

He wasn't looking for a free ride home, or someone to actually give a damn, but it would have been nice. Jean stepped off to the side as a car drove by, its tires sending up a cloud of dust as it disappeared around the next bend. He watched it pass in surprise, since when had people around these parts owned cars? Shifting the duffle bag slung over his shoulder he continued walking up the dirt road thinking that a lot can change in just a year.

The road had already taken him past his family's general store, but he didn't bother stopping in. His father ran like clockwork, there was no need to speculate what he was up to. The man would have already shut down the shop and headed back to the ranch.

Finally Jean arrived at the red roofed house at the bottom of the hill. He exhaled; there was no relief in coming home. It was a typical farm house, the field fenced off to hold his mother's prized thoroughbreds. Stepping onto the wrap around porch he actually smiled at the two rocking chairs still resting on the western side. He had always liked watching the sun set with Annie. A lump rose in his throat but he swallowed it back and recognized that he never liked the memories being home surfaced in him.

A sandy blonde head of hair peaked out the screen door. "Jean?"

He dropped his bag onto the porch and smiled for her benefit. "In the flesh."

She walked to him with purpose and he accepted her embrace. She might be disappointed in him half the time, but by the way she was hugging him he figured she was probably missing him just as much.

Mrs. Havoc pulled back, holding him at arm's length. "The city hasn't been kind to you."

He shrugged in response; he knew he looked a little haggard. Experimenting with drugs, sex and hurting the people around you has a way of wearing someone down but that conversation was not one he would be willing to have. "I never thought it would be." Shucking off his coat he sank into the old recliner in the living room.

She eyed his bags and headed from the room. "I thought you weren't coming home for the summer." She replied, her voice sounding as if she had now moved into the kitchen.

Jean read between the lines, 'why are you here?' good freaking question. Leaning back he closed his eyes. "Yeah I did too."

There was a long silence; he enjoyed most of it until he heard a distinct sniffle. It had not been his intention to make her cry but it had been an awfully long time since he was home, maybe the memories were stirring in her head. He opened his eyes as he heard her footsteps come into the room. She had held back whatever emotion had threatened her in the kitchen and was now seated across from him, a fresh glass of sweet tea and a plate full of sugar cookies now sitting on the coffee table.

Leaning forward he grabbed his glass, "Thanks ma."

She nodded, taking a sip from her own.

It was awkward while they both thought up something to say. "The shop doing okay?" He managed to say without adding any of his natural sarcasm.

The small woman gave him a hard look and he knew he hadn't succeeded in hiding his disdain. "Your father works very hard to keep it going." Her scowl withdrew, "How is school?"

He knew she meant to ask had he picked a major, was it worth it, was he really going to make something of himself? Of course he had asked himself these very same questions but he still didn't have much of an answer. "I'm thinking about going into criminal justice."

His mother pursed her lips, "Oh."

Before he got a chance to respond to her clear lack of enthusiasm they both turned at the sound of the screen door creaking open and slamming shut. His dad was back from the fields. The last time he had seen his father was over two years ago when he couldn't even be bothered to say goodbye. Jean felt his body go stiff, time had not graced him with forgiveness.

It felt weird that he still remembered his father's routine so vividly. He could predict every move his father was going to make. It would start with his hat being hung on the hook, boots being discarded by the door, and then it was to the bathroom to wash his face and hands which he followed up by demanding dinner. His mother looked a little abashed as she jumped to her feet, as if he would find her detour to their set routine offensive.

"The time." He heard her chastise under her breath.

He watched his father come in, blocking his mother from entering the kitchen with a harsh expression on his face. "I don't ask for much." He grumbled just loud enough to make it known. "Dinner Marie? Is there a reason it's not ready?"

His mother flushed, eyes cast downward towards her feet. "No."

"Well hello to you too Dad." He interrupted feeling the resentment simmer beneath his skin.

His father craned his neck to look in his direction, the age lines in his face deepening with…was that pain or disappointment? Jean couldn't really be bothered taking the time to figure out which.

His father gave him a brief once over before shaking his head and heading into the kitchen to await his dinner. Jean watched as his mother busied herself making dinner while his father glared up from his newspaper every few minutes or so. Some things never change, he caught a glimpse of himself in the hallway mirror and frowned, and sometimes things change drastically.

If only he wasn't broke, that was the one thing that had sent him packing and on his way home. Now he just had to count down the days till Maes and Gracias wedding… if only it were sooner. He was going to work this summer, build up his bank account and come back fighting next year. Another errant thought wound up his head, maybe he would abstain from sex. That had gotten him into quite a lot of trouble…okay maybe not abstain but he was going to need to put some serious thought behind his future relationships. He thought about Solaris briefly, the image of her stirring up old feelings, old habits and urges that left him wanting more than he needed.

**(Gracia)**

Standing back Gracia looked up at the two degrees now framed and hung up on the wall. Biting down on her lip she stared up at the wall. Her life was about to change more in one month than it had in all the years she had been at Central University. It was truly insanity to pack so much into such a time frame; between graduation, moving into the new apartment and getting ready for her wedding she was beginning to think she left her sanity back when she left school.

Making herself comfortable she spread out her papers and looked down at them in contemplation. The seating chart was done, her bridesmaids were all set with hair appointments and hotel bookings and the DJ had just confirmed a playlist for her. Was there anything left she hadn't already gone over a million times?

Someone cleared their throat behind her making her jump.

Frank's face turned red, "Didn't mean to scare you Gracia. Uh, Maes just called said he's stuck at work till late so I'm headed out to grab a pizza, cheese and pepperoni good for you?"

Both of her fiancés brothers were in town for the wedding. By some miracle or brown nosing, they were able to get leave from Briggs and were staying in Central till the wedding. Of course that had created some minor anxiety, the two brothers had buried the hatchet about what occurred over winter break but they decided it was probably for the best if they were not in the same household for a prolonged amount of time. So Wally was staying at the Hughes house while they offered for Frank to stay with them. Secretly Gracia thought they got the better end of the deal, Frank was much tidier and quieter than the youngest Hughes boy. That being said she had never really spent much time getting to know him. Wally was easy to know, he could talk to a tree and make good conversation, but Frank was much more reserved.

She smiled at him thinking it was sweet of him to think of her. "Yum, I'll drive."

"Ah, you don't have to do that, listen I'll just-" He gestured uselessly at the door.

"Frank." Gracia grabbed her purse, "I know the best place. Besides I need some fresh air, all this wedding stuff is stressing me out."

He tried to protest a bit more but she persisted and did not take no for an answer. Really, she wanted to spend time with him and grabbing some pizza wasn't pulling teeth.

Once they'd claimed their dinner and headed back to the apartment Gracia shooed him out of the kitchen and put up trays in the living room, opening two beers from the fridge as she went. She was not oblivious to the incredulous look on his face and that satisfied her. Folding her feet under her she sat on the couch and turned on the television before digging in. When he just stared at her she laughed, covering her mouth to avoid spitting out any lingering food. "What?"

The oldest Hughes boy raised his brows before shaking his head and chuckling. "Miss perfect likes to drink beer and eat pizza while watching television huh?"

Shrugging her shoulders Gracia took another sip of her drink. "College taught me all about the finer things in life."

"Seems like it." He opened his beer but she watched him hesitate. "I think I would have liked college."

Gracia sat up straighter, her curiosity peaked. "Why didn't you go to college?"

Frank shrugged his shoulders up to his ears like the matter were trivial, "My parents couldn't afford to send two kids to college and Maes was always the brain child. I knew they would do their best to pay for me, but the military would pay for my schooling eventually so I just did it. I didn't even tell anyone, just walked up to the recruiter's office and within a week I was in basic training."

"That was very brave of you; I don't think I could have done something so selfless."

He gave her a weak smile. "I'm good at being a soldier and if Maes had never gone to Central University I wouldn't be here watching him get married to such a great girl. Things tend to work out that way."

Sitting forward she threw her arms around him and squeezed, "I'm the lucky one. I get a husband and two great brothers all in one day." Gracia wasn't surprised to feel his arms tighten around her just a little bit more. She wondered if the Hughes family knew how much weight he had been carrying on his shoulders.

**(Winry)**

It wasn't a bad feeling necessarily, just not a good one. Pushing the goggles up onto her forehead she wiped the perspiration that had accumulated on her face. With a heavy sigh she stared at the automail leg, her eyes traveling over every curve and twist to its structure, analyzing it for defect or dysfunction.

Dens nose bumped into her leg, her hopeful expression rather endearing. Winry patted her on the head, she knew that look. "Alright let's go for that walk."

Waving to her Gran she headed out the door thinking how nice it was to walk in a place without needing to look over your shoulder. On these rare occasions where she actually took a break from doing some kind of work she instantly became nostalgic. Meeting her roommate, joining Kappa Delta, meeting Edward and his brother, the night she would rather forget and the beginning of a New Year with a boy who had suddenly made her content to be herself. Amazing to think of all she had experienced in just her freshman year; how would she ever make it through three more years?

The sun felt good on her skin, maybe she needed to get out more, enjoy her summer rather than working it away. Smiling, she kept walking even when the road ended and gave way to tall grasses and endless hills. After some time she found a good spot in a rotation field, its ground unperturbed for at least two more growth seasons. Den circled around several times before nestling down on the ground beside her. Petting the fur atop her dogs head she felt the happiness wash through her and knew how much she had missed the companionship of her canine. Den had really helped her through some hard times. "I'm glad you're watching over Gran." She ruffled Den's ears knowing her dog was much happier in the countryside than she ever would be in Central.

Tipping her head back she pretended Ed's hands where over her eyes as he tried to surprise her. With a flustered sigh she flopped back towards the ground, her hair pillowing out around her. Winry knew being without him was going to be hard, but physically she didn't realize that she might miss other things. Winry's cheeks felt warm, eyes closing again as she let herself daydream.

It must have been sometime later because her dream was just getting to the good part. Den's bark pulled her from the thick haze. Her daydream slowly and reluctantly slid into the back of her mind as she regained consciousness. The bright rays of the sun stunned Winry as she put her hand up to try and make out what exactly had grabbed her dog's attention.

"Well look who we have here."

Winry rubbed her eyes until the face of Pitt cleared in her vision. That was a flashback Winry had not thought about in a long time. Oh boy, how was this not going to be awkward? There were so many conversations she had had in her mind with him and now that they were face to face she couldn't think of one of them.

"You just going to stare at me or are you going to say hello?" He chuckled in a throaty way that made Winry swallow.

Pitt offered her a hand to help her up, his expression still optimistically open and kind. Then they were embracing and while it was a simple hug she felt the need to pull away rather quickly. And then he was reaching forward and she was jumping backwards. "Hey." He cocked his head to the side, "It's just me Winry." He pulled some dried grass out of her hair.

Embarrassed she bent over to ruffle Den's fur. "I know." She mumbled defensively.

She could almost feel the tension building between them as if it were tangible. "Knew you were back in town, was going to catch you on your way back but then I saw you guys heading out here."

"I've been meaning to stop by..." She replied feeling guilty that it hadn't even crossed her mind.

"Right." He shifted as if he were suddenly aware of how uncomfortable it was between them.

There was no reason for there to be bad feelings among them; she had moved on and so had he. This was her friend, well he had been her friend, and this wasn't how she wanted future encounters between them to be. "You know I just made some fresh apple pie, why don't you stop by later today, we can catch up." She smiled at him because being unfriendly and decidedly cold was not going to do anyone any favors.

"Yeah." His stance relaxed, "Don't think I can turn down an offer like that."

Pulling a summery blouse on and spraying some perfume on her wrists she scoured her appearance, scowling at the reflection. Why was she so worried about how she looked? Winry checked and double checked her hair in the mirror before growing irritated and pulling it back up into the tight ponytail. Again, why the hell was she so nervous about seeing Pitt? They had broken up a little over a year ago and she was happily involved with Edward. _But don't you want to impress him, show him what a catch you are?_

Too soon he was at her doorstep with a bouquet of flowers in his hands. Her stomach twisted, knotted and dropped down to the floor. "Just saw these on the way over here, thought you might like them." He said with an easy smile. "I know how you always liked wildflowers."

Winry nodded though she still felt a little on edge. "Oh, thanks Pitt…why don't I grab the pie, we can eat out here." Yes, let's eat outside in broad daylight where nothing can be misconstrued any further.

After handing him a slice she sat down and took a breath of what she hoped was resolution. "Pitt, I'm really sorry for everything that happened between us. I never meant to hurt you."

He toyed with his fork before stabbing a piece of pie and taking his time chewing it. "Nothing to be sorry for; you wanted to go away to school and marrying me wasn't going to let you do that."

Winry exhaled feeling sad all over again, "You make it sound like I had a choice in all this. I wish it had worked out, it would have been easy to marry you and settle down in Resembool."

"But you didn't want that, you didn't want that sort of sedimentary life." Pitt looked a little bemused, like he had figured out something." Guess I thought maybe once you'd had a little taste of city life you might come running back." He scratched the back of his head, "At least tell me you're happy."

That was an easy one, though she wished he could be as firm in his answer as she was in hers. "I am."

"I guess that's what really matters." He murmured.

She touched his arm fleetingly. "I have a feeling we wouldn't have made each other very happy in the long run." There was a languid moment of silence before Pitt was leaning towards her. Winry turned her head at the last minute too stunned to move as he spoke softly to her.

"Crazier things have happened." Pitt answered before saying a reluctant goodbye and heading back down the road which he came.

Winry watched him go; knowing that it was the right thing to do. No amount of pity was worth keeping his hopes up. They had grown apart and the events of the past year had widened the gap beyond repair in her eyes.

The smell of tobacco wafted through the kitchen, her Gran slowly making her way into the room to take up a seat at the table. Winry turned back to the dishes, unsure if she should mention anything.

"What did Pitt want?" Winry caught her staring at the flowers on the counter.

Winry breathed in, it wasn't an accusation but there would be no getting out of this without a proper explanation. "We ran into each other, just catching up a little."

"Hmm." She could hear her Grandmother exhale. "And how did that go."

Turning off the faucet Winry grabbed the nearest towel and dried her hands. "He hasn't changed very much. Still wants to go into medicine, still wants to live out here in Resembool…"

"Still in love with you?" Her Grandma filled in the missing blank without any hesitation.

Winry thought of how she felt about Edward and wondered if there was a comparison to be made, "I don't think he knows what love is."

Pinako arched a brow at her, "Interesting, ever consider that maybe everyone has different definitions of what love is?"

Her body sagged a little against the counter, her bangs falling in front of her face. There was still so much she still didn't understand and a part of her wondered if it might have been easier if her mother was still alive. "How did you know you were in love?"

The older Rockbell woman sniggered; her grin making the lines in her aged face deepen. "Oh dear I don't think I've felt that way in a long time."

Winry smiled indulgently at her Grandmother before asking the question she hadn't realized she wanted to know until she said it. "How can you trust you're really in love when feelings can just disappear like that?"

"Oh there's no guarantee dear; that's why it's important to make sure you fall in love with someone worth falling in love with to begin with."

The young Rockbell woman tried to smile, "Do you think I'm really in love with Edward? I thought I loved Pitt but it doesn't even come close to how I feel now."

"I think I'm the wrong person to ask." She gave her a knowing look. "Only you can answer that question."

**(Olivia)**

Everyone had wedding fever; a condition she believed was born from lack of self-esteem and pure stupidity. It was an outdated and barbaric ritual that had no real meaning besides legally binding a woman to a man. Clearly she had no interest in ever binding herself to another, especially in a legal manner, unless she had something substantial to gain from it. Now, she harbored no ill will towards those couples who were deciding to tie the knot but the escalating rate of engagements had her irritated and unimpressed. A good majority of couples she was on speaking terms with had announced their engagements almost as a compulsory reaction to graduation.

Miles finished tying his bandana over his head, adjusting his sunglasses and stretching his back. "You ready?"

Olivia completed stretching her calves and gave him a brief nod in confirmation. They had a set training schedule for the summer, one that she had designed to prepare them for boot camp come fall. Today their friends were getting married but as they started their run she felt confident in her own path. Miles was smart enough to know a ring was out of the question. They didn't have the luxury of being ostentatious with their feelings and she knew they never would.

They were staying in her parent's home in Central while the rest of her family took leave in their summer cottage in Aerugo. The thing about her boyfriend was that he never wanted to be a burden to anyone; he refused to move into his Mom's already pint sized apartment at her inconvenience and had put up quite the fight about staying with Olivia. It had irritated her at first, because as much as she appreciated his self-sustaining mentality, the oldest Armstrong didn't often do nice things for others and letting him stay with her for the summer was something she _wanted_ to do.

Miles shed his clothes and dove into her pool, the water rippling out. She took her time walking in, shedding layers as needed, until she was bare against the cool water.

He swam up to her, his red eyes knowing not to stare in certain places too long. "I wonder why you don't like weddings."

"Do you?" She retorted because Olivia knew without a doubt that Miles had his own reluctances when it came to weddings. A big part of that probably had to do with his father abandoning his mother when he was just a baby.

He slicked his hair back from his face smiling at her. "Good food, drink and company, it's a shame we're not getting married."

Olivia rolled her eyes. "You're such a boy."

"I haven't figured out why you don't really believe in marriage. I mean you're parents are happily married and you could have the wedding of your dreams. I'm willing to bet your mother and father would be insanely happy to give you one." He rattled off probably more out of teasing than curiosity.

"Men have been throwing themselves at my father for my hand in marriage since I was twelve years old, believe me, I'm not interested."

Miles smiled sadly at her. "No, along the way someone's broken the rules, I can see it in the way you've tested me. You're worth more than your looks and wealth Liv, you know that right?"

She swam to the edge and hosted herself out of the pool; taking her time squeezing every last drop of water from her hair to let him enjoy the view. She hadn't realized how good it felt to hear someone of true conviction say such a thing to her. "I'm going to get ready. I had the maid lay out a new suit for you."

He followed her out of the pool. "You didn't have to do that." The tips of his ears were red and she knew he was embarrassed that she had found out his only suit barely fit him.

"I did; I want you to look good." She hesitated knowing that her words were a little too sharp. "This is the last time we're with everyone before we head up to Briggs; I want it to be nice."

He leaned towards her and fully surprised her when he chose to kiss he forehead instead of her mouth. "Then it will be nice."

Sooner or later they were going to have to separate themselves into a working relationship, but it wasn't time just yet. It might be selfish but she wanted his attention, she wanted his eyes on her and only her.

**(Roy)**

It was the big day, not his big day but his best friends. Maes was currently standing in front of the mirror, his hands fumbling at his tie. It wasn't comic but it was nice to be the resolute one, the one with confidence again. He sat perched on a stool, grinning at his friend.

Finally, he had been waiting for the nerves to kick in. "Need help there big guy?"

Hughes fiddled with the tie a few more times before managing to set it straight and tighten up the slack. "Think I got this." He said nearly breathless.

Roy nodded, "Good because I'm not going out there to tell them you're too nervous to do this."

Maes wiped at his brow, "Not nervous, just…"

"Just need some confidence?" Wally answered for him, pulling out two, shot sized bottles of vodka.

Looking guilty, Maes shook his head. "I don't need to be drunk to marry the love of my life little brother."

"One shot is not going to get you plastered college grad, just a little to take off the edge. No shame in feeling anxiety over trying to please an ass load of people and pull off a perfect wedding for the love of your life. No shame at all there champ." Roy reminded him.

"Ass load; great speech best man." Havoc joked, an honest grin on his face. "But seriously Hughes you're about to marry a great gal and this thing is going to go off without a hitch. That's what happens when two good people come together, good things just happen. Now take a shot and pull yourself together so we can all be done with this ceremony and be on our way to the reception!"

"You've got a beautiful woman waiting to marry you." Frank gave him a pat on the back, "And gentlemen don't keep girls like that waiting."

Maes still looked reluctant but opened the mini bottle and emptied it with one gulp. Exhaling loudly he looked a little humble. "Thanks for being here today, really, I love you guys."

"Don't get all sappy on us; I only came for the food." Breda growled through an indulgent smile.

Roy laughed with the rest of the boys. "Now come on Maes Hughes let's get you hitched."

When the girls started walking up the isle Roy found himself merely an appreciative observer. Olivia was sharp as always, her hair and makeup done to perfection. He thought both Rebecca and Winry were beautiful girls but there was Riza and her beauty sang to him like no one else.

She was standing there in that spring yellow dress looking every bit as stunning as he imagined. But as much as he wanted to be happy for his best friend, he was finding it hard to smile as he watched Riza stand across the aisle from him. He had failed her in so many ways; believing he was a better man than he really was. It occurred to him that he didn't deserve her, not the unhinged pinball of a man he was at this point in his life. Eventually maybe he might deserve her, but even he acknowledged that time may never come.

Tugging at the collar of his shirt Roy tried to make room in the stuffy suit. He was the best man and Riza was the maid of honor and for as much as he wanted to take her arm he knew it was only a formality. That walk down the aisle was customary and while she would take his arm Mustang wondered if she felt what he did. Did she feel that familiar spark, spread of warmth that reminded him of a home he never really had? Or would she feel nothing but regret at the thought of what they once had? Or worse… would she feel nothing at all? He should have thought of something clever to say, something that might bring back a little bit of what they used to have, but his mouth refused to move and his tongue laid there like a dead carcass left for the vultures.

"Stop fidgeting."

He looked at Riza's cool composure and actually envied her for it. "You try wearing this monkey suit in this heat." He retorted feeling ridiculous.

"It's not your day, you don't get to complain." She chided him.

Roy swallowed in anticipation as they waited to follow Havoc and Rebecca because he missed her telling him what to do. As absurd a thought as it was, he missed her being there to put him in his place. "I'm so tired…"

Riza eyed him wearily, "Of?"

"I'm so tired of missing you." He confessed finally looking up. "I'm so goddamn sick and tired of missing you and doing nothing about it."

Holding her face in his hands he leaned forward, the tip of his nose brushing against hers signaling the tilt to let his lips press against hers. It was a hard kiss, a force of his will caressing hers with the desperate need for reciprocation. He waited but she didn't move; a statue that couldn't be moved and to his disgust he realized that he was forcing himself on her. Pulling back he wished she'd do or say something, anything. "Hell." He pulled back, ashamed that he had backed her into a corner.

"Don't do this, not now." Riza asked him, her voice low. "Please."

Roy clamped his mouth shut knowing how right she was and silently fuming that she had needed to say it. This wasn't how he imagined this day going but as they started to walk down the aisle she squeezed his arm. "Let's just get through this first, okay?"

What was he supposed to say to that?

"Roy?"

He looked up at her pained expression and hated that he hadn't given her a reason to smile in a long time.

"It's our turn." Riza repeated when he just continued to stare.

"Yeah." They walked up the isle and he grinned like an idiot because that's what you do when you're the best man. And when his friends pledged their lives to each other he couldn't help but notice how happy they made one another. Had he ever made someone that happy?

The ceremony was perfect and he played his role dutifully, but he realized something as he watched them. He was never going to be a Maes, a man whose capacity to love was endless. Roy knew Riza deserved a man like his best friend and at the end of the day he had skeletons in his closet, demons that rocked his past and threatened to rear their heads when things got tough.

Roy took a deep breath because as easy as it was to fall into a self-loathing trance this was his best friend's wedding and dammit he was going to enjoy himself. Once the ceremony and pictures were done the whole wedding party packed into the limo and headed off towards the Regents Hotel where the reception would take place in its impressive ballroom. He saluted the newlyweds and they popped open the bottles of Champagne. "To Mr. & Mrs. Hughes."

Everyone echoed the sentiment with glasses raised and smiles. Even Wally felt enamored enough to try to put the moves on Olivia who pushed him away with a not so subtle glare. "Back off loverboy."

As they were exiting the limo he pulled Riza to the side, careful to make sure his intentions were as clear as they could be. Riza looked like she was going to protest but he was glad she didn't. "Riza…there will always be a part of me that loves you, that's just how it is. I'm sorry that that part of me has hurt you and keeps hurting you. You deserve better, but I just can't give up and I don't ever want to." He took a deep breath and tried to remember why he had felt the need to say it aloud.

Riza fidgeted with the hem of her dress, aligning it perfectly before looking him in the eye. "I need time and I think you do too. I want to be friends but that's all I can promise you right now."

Roy felt himself deflate but a maybe was a hell of a lot better than a straight up 'no'. "Right, shall we?" He offered his arm and while he thought for a moment she might resist Riza took it in stride.

**(Edward)**

Edward had been delayed in Xing for a few extra days which had cut down any alone time with Winry before the wedding. As it was he barely skated in to the rehearsal dinner, had half the summer already passed? Looking around he raised his eyebrows in a respected awe, he never imagined weddings could be so complicated, it seemed like there were five hundred different little things going on all at once. He tried to check everything off in his head, booking the church, booking the reception hall, sending out invitations, renting the suits, buying flowers, decorations, making seating charts, rings, food and drink and not to mention booking a DJ or rooms at the hotel. It was the first wedding he had ever been to and while hadn't taken to the long service he was feeling considerably better now that it was over and he didn't need to stand up like a stiff penguin statue.

"They look so happy." Winry sighed as they watched Maes and Gracia enjoy their first dance.

He fidgeted, he wasn't sure he liked all the attention that being a groomsman afforded him but he did like the buffet of food, drinks and dessert. Shoving food in his mouth Ed just nodded in agreement.

Several songs later he knew Winry was growing impatient with his lack of enthusiasm for dancing but seriously, when did not wanting to dance have anything to do with how he felt about her?

"It's a real shame to not show off a pretty girl on the dance floor."

Ed gritted his teeth, "I don't see you out there twinkle toes."

Roy pulled his tie down a notch which Ed thought made him look a little more arrogant. "Lucky for you I'm in the midst of trying to redeem myself or else I wouldn't hesitate to claim what is clearly being taken for granted." He let his gaze fall on Winry and sent her a charming wink.

His chest puffed out as he glared at his rather ridiculous fraternity brother, "I'll show you what lucky is…" pushing his chair back he stuck out his hand towards Winry. "Come on, we're dancing."

His girlfriend rolled her eyes but he noticed her cheeks tinged the slightest pink as he took her hand. "Such a gentleman." She grumbled under her breath and Ed thought he saw a smug grin on Roy's face.

As they swayed gently from side to side he began to loosen up a little. This was Winry and she liked dancing, no reason why he shouldn't indulge her and the surprising thing was…he did, he wanted to spoil her rotten. In fact he had been feeling guilty about something and he figured now was as good of a time as any to let her know.

"I've missed you."

She smiled leaning forward so they were dancing cheek to cheek. "I missed you."

He closed his eyes and let her words sink in the way they should. "You look beautiful."

He felt her lips press into his cheek and could feel her smile. So maybe he would need to thank Roy for tricking him into dancing with Winry. "I wanted to come back sooner; I've never missed anyone like that. I just don't want you to think I'm too..." He paused.

"Too what?"

Edward took a deep breath, "Clingy? I don't want you to get bored of me just yet."

Her laugh slowly drained him of any lingering doubt. "Edward Elric." Winry pulled back just far enough so that he could feel her breath on his lips. "Ever since you walked into the rehearsal dinner I've been dying to get my hands on you." He felt something below stir as she almost purred into his ear. "You can cling to me all you want."

He whistled lowly, "And you think of yourself as a tomboy."

Winry pushed herself against him, "Maybe I'm just good with mechanics. With just a little lubrication even unused parts can work like new."

Ed grinned, "I have no idea what you're talking about but it sounds dirty…and I like that."

His girlfriend smirked up at him, "Just a few more dances."

"And then I can whisk you away?"

"Yeah, whisk away." Winry agreed in a throaty voice that nearly sent Ed over the edge.

**(Maes)**

His hands ran down Gracia's back and up again, settling on the tiny buttons that kept the top of the gown tight against her frame. Each small release revealed a bit of skin creating a strong stirring and impatience at his fingertips. Time could have stood still, collapsed under the gravity of what was to come, but it lingered and paused only to accelerate and race.

The soft lighting bathed her pale skin and made the white in her eyes come alive in the dark. Maes told her she was beautiful but even then it didn't come close to the truth. Gracia was his best friend and now he could call her his wife. Maes felt a small quiver in his touch as he tried to keep his control. Leaning her back against his chest he watched as Gracia's head tilted back, the extension in her neck captivating his attention. Wrapping his arms around her waist he pulled her closer, eager to show her how he really felt when words failed.

The new Mrs. Hughes turned in his arms, her hands already working at his belt with a languid smoothness that eased them into it all. The sleeves of his shirt slid down his arms and into a pile on the floor and his lips were on hers, pressed in a bruising kiss that underscored the desire to be closer. It wasn't their first time, but it felt completely different than all the others.

"Mrs. Hughes, you are radiant." He caressed her cheek, thankful that he had made it through the past year, thankful that he had lived to see this moment. Grabbing her hand he began to kiss each one of her fingers, lingering on the left ring finger. "Until death do us part."

Gracia twined their hands, "Until death do us part."

* * *

**Next chapter:** Summer Skin

The new Mr. and Mrs. Hughes take off on their honeymoon while Olivia and Miles head up north and the rest of the gang end summer and begin to move back to campus. With recruitment around the corner can the new leaders step up or will they crumble under the pressure? Welcome week at Central University is a whole new ballgame.


End file.
